


Birds Flying South

by 126916912



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Dimensions, Athletes, Dimension Travel, Domestic, Enemies to Friends, Idiots to husbands, M/M, Married Life, Ping-Pong, Time Skips, To lovers?, mentions of poverty, minor injury, sangyeon has maybe 3 braincells in total, wedding anniversary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:02:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27166303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/126916912/pseuds/126916912
Summary: When pro table tennis players Jaehyun and Sangyeon get into an altercation at the Korean Open, a dimension traveller decides that the best way for them to resolve their issues is to learn how their married counter-parts in a different world get along."Why are we here?" Jaehyun asks as he gestures between himself and Sangyeon."Enjoy married life. Learn to stop being horrible people.""Married? I don't want to be stuck here with you for months."The dimension traveller laughs. "That's the whole point."
Relationships: Lee Jaehyun | Hyunjae/Lee Sangyeon
Comments: 21
Kudos: 57
Collections: Die Jungz Fest (R1)





	Birds Flying South

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #72 — Sangyeon and Jaehyun are rivals. One day, their constant arguing gets them in trouble with a dimension traveler (someone who skips between dimensions and can "manipulate" them, as well as help other people travel to other dimensions), who sends them to an alternate dimension so they can learn how to get along. In this dimension, A and B are a married couple, who live in the same house and sleep in the same bed, and neither of them are prepared for this.
> 
> title from 'do you know (the ping-pong song)' by enrique iglesias

Despite training at the same gym, Jaehyun and Sangyeon are not teammates. They might have the same coach but that is only because Cao Lu is too generous and decided to help out the other penhold player who came begging after forcing his last coach into retirement. Since Jaehyun's torn knee ligament two years ago which turned into multiple knee and lower leg issues, he has never been able to surpass Sangyeon in the world rankings. To many it seems obvious that Sangyeon is a better player but all the tantrums he throws at their training gym and in matches are reason enough for Jaehyun to disagree. 

Jaehyun has had to smile his way through too many interviews asking his opinion on Sangyeon’s performance as they breach points of success through rounds and rounds of tournaments. All the while he has had to be diplomatic because that is what Cao Lu asked him to do, regardless of the fact that Sangyeon routinely walks out of interviews where he might be asked about Jaehyun. Having a slightly better reputation away from matches is no consolation to having to constantly exist in relation to a man he can't stand but he might not have to worry about that in the near future. 

Jaehyun had been curious when a tournament official strides into the training gym and approaches coach Cao Lu. Their faces looked solemn whilst Jaehyun had been messing around, balancing bats on his fingertips because it calms his nerves, so Jaehyun thought it would be a good idea to follow and see what all the fuss is about. 

Hiding around the corner from the corridor leading to the toilets, Jaehyun doesn't need to strain his ears too much to hear. The official is speaking loudly enough to coach Cao Lu about Sangyeon. 

He is being disqualified from the Korean Open. That means he won't qualify for the Asian Cup and he'll be another year away from the World Cup. Regardless of his world ranking, closing in on the top fifty during this year's World Tour, he won't get the chance to contest that by aiming for a title at one of the biggest stages for their sport. 

Cao Lu sounds devastated, the work she has put into Sangyeon’s training regime this time around has lost her a lot of sleep and it was all for nothing. Jaehyun knows why the ITTF official has taken Cao Lu aside first. Sangyeon isn't going to react well. They are leaving everything to Cao Lu so they don't need to deal with the initial brunt of Sangyeon’s reaction. For a moment, Jaehyun considers dulling the edge for Cao Lu, but Sangyeon is too unpredictable. Instead, Jaehyun returns to the training gym and checks through his bag to see if he has any spare rubbers for his bats. It would be stupid to genuinely need to change rubbers less than an hour before the tournament begins but he needs something to distract himself with until hurricane Sangyeon strikes. There are a few other athletes checking over their equipment anyway so Jaehyun isn't particularly conspicuous in the vast training hall. He isn't nervous, at least not for the same reason as the others who are trying to ignite the sections of their brains which function best when observed by a crowd. But Jaehyun's anticipation for a disaster certainly looks the same as those who don't want to lose their chance. 

"We're in the same qualification bracket." 

Jaehyun glances over his shoulder and the words almost fall out of his mouth at the sight of Sangyeon. But he won't say it. He turns back to the task at hand, trying to remember which pocket he packed his glue into. 

Sangyeon scoffs, "Are you ignoring me because you think you're going to beat me when we meet? Honestly, what are the chances you'll make it past your first match."

"No matter what happens, I am going to get further in the tournament than you will."

Sangyeon tugs Jaehyun's shoulder roughly, scorn clear in his countenance though it is being curtailed by the obvious efforts to behave when surrounded by their peers. 

"I really pity you if that is what you believe."

Jaehyun raises his eyebrows. The nearest person to them is the coach of their next nearest competitor in terms of rankings. Without Sangyeon playing, Jaehyun assumes that Lee Soohyuk, a shakehand grip player with an aggressive backhand chop, would be fighting for that vacant approach to qualifications for the Asian Cup. So Jaehyun keeps his voice quiet for everyone's sake. 

"Things like pity go both ways."

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

Jaehyun shrugs. "It means what it means. You pity me because you think you're better than me. I pity you because—" Jaehyun pauses. He considers for half a second but he hasn't much to lose. Especially not when Sangyeon is bringing up his alleged superiority. He always uses underhanded tactics to beat Jaehyun whenever they do meet in tournaments. If they count their practice matches, Jaehyun knows he is better. He is a better athlete and he isn't inclined to let Sangyeon gloat for much longer. 

"Did coach Cao Lu know that you were taking drugs?" Jaehyun asks. 

The reaction is slow. Sangyeon’s expression stiffly shifts into a deeper frown and he shoves Jaehyun against the wall, the row of chairs biting into Jaehyun's calf insistently. Sangyeon’s eyes are sharp as he glares up at Jaehyun but already he is crumbling into uncertainty. 

"What are you talking about?" 

"What do you think?" Jaehyun volleys back, still low enough to be quiet but perhaps not so much so that Lee Soohyuk's coach hasn't already caught onto the hooks of the important words. "Are you going to try to claim that someone gave something to you? That's not a defence, remember? It is your responsibility to check what is going into your body."

Oddly, Sangyeon’s hands pinning Jaehyun to the wall tighten their grip but he doesn't react much more than that. Maybe the ITTF official was wrong. He could have told Sangyeon without any trouble at all. 

Jaehyun prises Sangyeon’s fingers out of his polo shirt and extracts himself from between Sangyeon and the wall. The first day of qualification will start soon. He should probably warm up properly seeing as he will be playing an early match. 

"You're lying," Sangyeon says quietly. Jaehyun glances over his shoulder at Sangyeon. He's just standing there, arms limp at his sides. He's annoying. Jaehyun returns to the task at hand and pulls his jacket out of his bag. Sangyeon isn't just annoying, he's persistent and he says, "You're low, saying something like this to me right before a tournament. Come outside with me."

Jaehyun knows exactly what that means and he suspects that quite a few other people do too. Seeing as Lee Soohyuk's coach isn't prioritising their own athlete, eyes keenly trained on the immediate disagreement, Jaehyun makes a show of putting his bat inside its case and shoving that deep into his bag. Jaehyun is friendly and agreeable so he follows Sangyeon easily. 

Surprisingly, they don't run into Cao Lu on their way to wherever Sangyeon determines to be the most convenient "outside". They reach an area which is filled with production equipment, trailing wires taped onto luminescent bundles and large wheeled containers lined up with peeling stickers slapped on to denote things Jaehyun doesn't really understand. Not that it matters. Jaehyun just wonders what exactly is inside the container Sangyeon slams him against. 

"When the world championships are over, and I have beaten you fairly and watched you cry, I am going to take great pleasure in ruining your whole career. You're done. Do you understand?" 

The problem with Sangyeon is that he isn't the person he thinks he is. Jaehyun most certainly isn't the person Sangyeon thinks he is either. Jaehyun shoves Sangyeon away and watches him stagger back against the opposite row of containers, pathetic in his surprise. 

"I wasn't going to say anything but at this point I can't stay quiet just because you're not going to like it," Jaehyun says as he advances a step in the narrow corridor. "You're a pathetic cheat. And now you're about to get your just desserts."

Jaehyun slams his hand hard against the container behind Sangyeon, grins at the way Sangyeon’s face twists into a snarl, and he lightly slaps Sangyeon’s cheek. Of course Sangyeon is the type to go for the throat and that is exactly what he does. 

"Go on. What are you thinking of doing?" Jaehyun goads. After knowing each other for years, Jaehyun isn't entirely sure how far Sangyeon would go. He is known for being reckless and standoffish and he has been penalised for bad behaviour as often as Jaehyun, but this position right here is a mystery. 

Every fight in the past has been fought verbally or by kicking inanimate objects nearby and throwing equipment if they're daring. Right now, Sangyeon doesn't have anything to lose, even if he doesn't fully realise that himself, so the possibilities are endless. Jaehyun could get rid of Sangyeon for good if he does this the right way. His hands tighten into fists at his sides but he will need to resist throwing the first punch himself. As much stock Jaehyun has in his pride, if he fails to contain himself here his efforts will all be for nothing. 

"You won't need to pretend to be better than me if you hit me hard enough that I can't play," Jaehyun suggests. Sangyeon tightens his jaw and the set of his shoulders certainly looks like he is gearing himself up to swing at Jaehyun but Cao Lu shouts to announce her arrival. Sangyeon shoves Jaehyun away roughly. The container is hard and sharp against Jaehyun's back but it isn't enough to claim an injury. Not that anyone cares about that when Cao Lu is almost frantic as she rushes to Sangyeon and instructs him to calm down. 

Of course, being told to calm down has the opposite effect on Sangyeon. Jaehyun stays quiet as Sangyeon and Cao Lu raise their voices. This could work too. This sort of behaviour towards his own coach will certainly draw penalties if they attract too much attention. 

Jaehyun only needs to watch. Sangyeon is enough of a disaster without Jaehyun's interference. Sangyeon yells and Cao Lu raises her voice to make herself heard but Sangyeon doesn't want to hear it. He's adamant that he wouldn't ever take performance enhancing substances, he has been set up, it's a conspiracy. There are so many excuses being hurled at Cao Lu but Jaehyun only needs to make a sound of quiet disbelief for attention to settle on him once more. 

"Unlike you, I have a tournament to play. I don't really have the time for this," Jaehyun says. His spread hands don't indicate surrender but it certainly feels that way when Sangyeon rounds on him and volleys accusations about being drugged. 

Jaehyun heads back to the practice hall, Sangyeon following behind and goading him with accusations all the while, but a wrong turn leads him out to the main foyer. Out here there are attendees and press and venue staff. Sangyeon at least shuts up once they're through the doors but he isn't so gracious as to let Jaehyun back the way they came. 

"No," Sangyeon says. "Tell me now, out here. Did you slip me something that would show up in a test?" 

"Do you think you're that important to me that I'd go out of my way to disqualify you?" Jaehyun asks. With Sangyeon blocking the way, the only option is to walk across the scuffed speckled floortiles, weaving between the clusters of people who hopefully won't recognise them. Sangyeon sticks close to Jaehyun's side, an ominous presence that really isn't necessary. 

"You go out of your way to pick fights. How is this any different?" 

"What you're accusing me of could get me disqualified too, idiot."

"Yeah? What do you really have to lose? You're never going to get first place in a tournament like this anyway." 

Jaehyun's body moves on instinct, grasping the idiot who made the choice to walk too closely to him, and pinning him against a mosaic pillar. Unapologetic disdain simmers in Sangyeon’s eyes but that isn't so unusual. What is usual is the fact that Sangyeon looks too normal for a person who is about to lose everything. 

"You knew you were going to get caught."

The words are enough to draw out surprise but Sangyeon doesn't get the chance to respond when a security officer at the sports stadium asks if there is a problem. 

"There's no problem," Sangyeon grunts as he shoves Jaehyun away roughly. He's a pathetic excuse for a man. Pathetic enough that the security officer makes them leave. 

There soon is a problem. Neither Jaehyun nor Sangyeon have any of their identification and even calling over another security officer does nothing to grant them reentry. Trying other entry points around the venue is also a failure seeing as they aren't allowed close enough without proof that they belong. This isn't how things are supposed to go. Jaehyun isn't like Sangyeon. If he is to crash out of the tournament it is by losing in a scrappy match against someone unaffected by his taunts, not because he forfeits the match altogether by failing to turn up. 

"Do you have your phone?" Jaehyun grumbles after yet another security officer has laughed in their faces. 

"You know I do," Sangyeon says. He is right. Sangyeon had even tried to prove his right to entry with a google search but that had been met with indifference. So Sangyeon is stuck outside the arena with Jaehyun. And also his phone. 

"Do you want to be useful and call Cao Lu to get us back in?" 

"No."

Jaehyun isn't sure he heard that correctly. He asks again and the response is inexplicably the same. Very calmly and reasonably, Jaehyun says, "What the hell is wrong with you? We need to get back inside. Cao Lu can do that."

"No," Sangyeon infuriatingly says once more. _You_ need to get back inside. I've apparently been disqualified."

"Sangyeon," Jaehyun says, still calm and incidental and nothing at all like the aggression this situation merits, "This is the Korean Open."

"I'm aware."

This tournament is everything right now. As athletes who are both so close to emerging on the international stage, each tournament of the World Tour is crucial. There is no room for pettiness on a day like today. Where Sangyeon is being difficult and unreasonable and doing nothing to help matters, Jaehyun is absolutely within his rights to say, "I'm going to kill you."

Sangyeon scuffs his shoes on the pavement as he squares up to Jaehyun in front of all the spectators milling around as they wait to be admitted. He says, "Try it."

Of course Jaehyun gives as good as he's got. His life depends on getting back inside the stadium and playing his way to a good enough position to qualify for the World Cup. Sangyeon, because he's the worst, doesn't hold back either though the fistful of hair he grabs doesn't quite give him the vantage of being able to land a proper hit. 

Sangyeon must really have given up, accepted the misery of his guilt by fighting dirty. It is only fair that Jaehyun does the same, to save his scalp from Sangyeon’s grasp at the very least. 

"Why did you bite me?" Sangyeon grumbles as he shoves Jaehyun away and he stumbles towards the edge of the path. He's being way too much of a baby about this, even lifting the hem of his polo-shirt as though he expects to see blood. He drops his T-shirt down and glares at Jaehyun. "What is your problem?" 

"You! What's going to happen to me if I forfeit the tournament because I got stuck outside with you? I didn't get to play in the World Tour last year. This is my only chance to qualify for the Asian Cup."

Sangyeon shrugs. "Mine too. You should have thought about that before you ruined my life."

Jaehyun hasn't ruined anyone's life, certainly not Sangyeon’s. His own life has definitely _is_ ruined though so he should be excused for his behaviour. The stress of considering a year of training wasted has Jaehyun distraught. He hasn't had fun working himself back to fitness following his knee injury from the year before last. He didn't think he would ever play again and it has taken him too long to work himself back to a level which he can be proud of, even if he is holding back the weakness worn into his muscles by wrapping himself in tape. Since missing out on the World Tour last year, Jaehyun hasn't trained even longer hours, begged Cao Lu to look up new conditioning exercises, and analysed hours and hours of play just to grow another year through his peak playing years without success. 

Jaehyun pushes Sangyeon as hard as he can off the edge of the kerb. It is too late when Jaehyun notices the person who had tried to get around them by waking in the flow of the car park. Time seems to slow down as Sangyeon collides with some poor little thing with flame-flicker hair who freezes, a breath away from the bonnet of a car which barrelled into the car park when the barrier had admitted them. 

The moment stretches on for too long, silent as all the people around stop chattering and moving and all the car engines cut out at once. 

Time has stopped and Jaehyun should probably do something about Sangyeon suspended in the midpoint of a fall. 

"Did we break something?" Jaehyun asks as he reaches gingerly for Sangyeon’s outstretched hand. Sangyeon can't move aside from his eyes and the ferocity he channels through them at Jaehyun stings a bit. 

"What do you think?" 

Jaehyun peers around Sangyeon, who is still preserved in one impossible second and sees a disgruntled looking girl extracting herself from between Sangyeon and the stationary car. 

"What's happening?" Jaehyun asks. 

"What's happening is you almost killed someone with your stupid arguing!" The girl folds her arms across her chest and glares up at Jaehyun. "What do you have to say for yourself?" 

"I'm sorry?" Jaehyun tries. That isn't good enough and the girl sighs heavily. Despite the season she is wearing a heavy coat and she removes a small device from her pocket. 

"You're awful. As if that would be good enough. Put your thumb on the green circle."

The girl offers the strange device and Jaehyun is very reluctant to do as requested. The device looks a lot like a phone, a green circle glowing ominously on the gleaming surface, but something tells him that it isn't as innocent as that. 

"What happens if I touch it? Are you going to the police? Can't I just give you compensation and we can all move on? I don't have a lot but I will never play table tennis again if I get into real trouble over this."

"Just do it." 

With his thumb above the glowing circle, Jaehyun pauses. "What about Sangyeon? Take his thumbprint too."

"I will. You first."

Jaehyun presses his thumb against the green light and flinches away from the jolt that shocks through his hand. 

"What was that for?" 

The girl crouches beside Sangyeon and all but yanks his thumb onto the green light. "You two are public menaces," she offers as a breezy response. "You don't stop. But I have the perfect way to teach you both a lesson."

Jaehyun crosses his fingers and prays this girl isn't talking about getting the police involved. Sangyeon flops to the ground uselessly and clambers to his feet. He looks cross as he dusts himself off but he turns meek when the girl turns an unimpressed glare on him. 

"What are you planning?" Sangyeon asks. 

"There's actually a dimension where I can send you which might make you less dangerous to all the innocent people around you."

"A 'what' you can send us to?" 

"Dimension." The girl looks up at Jaehyun, a sparkle in her dark eyes as she smiles with puppy-like innocence. "I am a dimension traveller. I can manipulate dimensions to an extent, hence the freezing, but this might be the best way to stop you from killing anyone else." 

"I don't understand," Sangyeon says faintly. 

"What is there to understand? It looks like attempts have already been made within this dimension but the both of you are just getting worse. I am going to fix you and avert a huge crisis. You will thank me later."

"I don't think I will," Jaehyun protests. The girl, the dimension traveller, whatever she is, smiles less kindly and tips her head to the side. Her red hair gleams as it swings, oddly threatening like the curtains closing a theatre. She points her device at Jaehyun. He definitely does not thank her. 

  
  
  


"No," Jaehyun says as he jumps to his feet and moves away from Sangyeon. The strange girl from the stadium had said outlandish things but a lot of weird people were confused about their place in the world. Jaehyun is certainly confused. 

The living room he has ended up in looks unfamiliar; a heavy rug laid over glossy parquet flooring, a stack of brochures and bundles of card stock are spaced around the rug, several photo albums are piled on the plush white sofa, a cluster of chipped mugs are sitting on a side table with a plate of grapes and cheese cubes, and it seems something is missing from the cupboard beneath the television which is currently broadcasting a table tennis tournament. 

"No," Jaehyun says, more certainly this time. Sangyeon is sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, dazed and unmoving from the position he had been in, pressed against Jaehyun's side the second before realisation hit. The bigger problem is the Sangyeon who is smiling into the room from a photograph on the mantelpiece. The Sangyeon in the picture has his arm thrown comfortably over the shoulders of a Jaehyun who looks equally happy to be in the embrace. This is all wrong. 

"Why are you just sitting there?" Jaehyun prompts. Sangyeon finally looks up at him but his expression is vacant enough that Jaehyun worries that Sangyeon’s mind wasn't sent along with his body. 

"What should I be doing?" Sangyeon asks, voice flat as dissatisfaction finally flashes across his face. "Is shouting nonsense supposed to help? It looks like we've got company, you idiot."

Jaehyun counts the mugs on the side table but whoever their guest is must have already left seeing as only the dregs and a lipstick print remain. The timing is impeccable, though Jaehyun can't claim he will be able to pretend he is fine when they do return. The door knocks and Jaehyun is ready to tear his hair out. 

"Are you going to get that?" Sangyeon asks with unappreciated jeer in his tone. 

"Are your hands broken? Why can't you get it?" 

"You're already standing," Sangyeon retorts. Jaehyun doesn't keep his words to himself when he mutters about breaking Sangyeon’s hands for real, but after kicking Sangyeon’s leg he regrets answering the front door. 

"Can I help you?" Jaehyun asks weakly as the purported dimension traveller pushes into the house and makes herself comfortable on the sofa. 

"Are you going to offer me a drink?" 

"No?" Sangyeon says through gritted teeth before shooting Jaehyun a grim expression. "Why did you let her in here?" 

Jaehyun didn't exactly have much of a choice. The dimension traveller might be considerably smaller in stature but Jaehyun is emotionally compromised. There wasn't anything he could do to stop this guest. Let alone the glaring issue with Sangyeon’s complaint in the first place. 

"Forget that. Why are _we_ here?" Jaehyun asks as he gestures between himself and Sangyeon.

"I already told you," the dimension traveller says cheerily whilst sinking back into the sofa cushions. "The way you behave is going to cause unthinkable trouble for others. You almost killed me. Who better to teach you the art of getting along than yourselves?" 

"What do you mean?" Sangyeon asks. 

"Enjoy married life. Learn to stop being horrible people."

"Married?" Is all Sangyeon can manage to say in all his infinite wisdom. 

"Please tell me that this is all a joke," Jaehyun begs. He even gets onto his knees and claps his hands together. "I'm already laughing, see? Haha! Very funny joke. Now that we've all had fun, let's go back to normal."

The dimension traveller frowns. She leans forward and props her chin in her hands. The sparkle in her eyes sends a shudder down Jaehyun's spine which is followed by the usual sort of disappointment he feels whenever Sangyeon is around. 

"This is no joke. You're both just awful. Honestly I think you deserve each other. But whilst you're here, you should learn how to stop fighting so much. What would you do if you really got some poor innocent person hurt?" 

"I'd apologise," Jaehyun says through gritted teeth, a reminder of what he already has done. His smile is not winning him any favours with the dimension traveller. She tucks her bobbed hair behind her ear and peers down at Sangyeon. 

"What are you lovebirds doing anyway?" 

"Planning our anniversary party," Sangyeon reels off like someone has threatened certain death if he deviates from the script. Jaehyun would not mind having a look at this script. His neck cracks from how quickly he turns to look at Sangyeon. 

"Come again?" 

Sangyeon gestures listlessly at the piles of cardstock on the rug. "We are having a party for our wedding anniversary. The cotton anniversary, however many years that is supposed to be."

"Why are you taking this so well?" 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sangyeon asks through a plastic smile. "You're my dear husband whom I love so very much." He twists quickly to look up at the dimension traveller on the sofa. "There, I said something nice. You can leave him here for all I care, are you going to send me back now?" 

The dimension traveller scoffs and pushes Sangyeon’s face away. "That's not in the spirit of the exercise. You have actually lost points for that, by the way."

"There are points?" Jaehyun asks, feeling oddly hopeful. 

"Are we scored separately or together?" 

"You're scored together, obviously," the dimension traveller says as she gets to her feet. "Do you think you can get enough points by the time we reach your anniversary?" 

Jaehyun isn't sure that they can score any points at all. Their competitive natures have never extended to being able to work together for the same goal. There is a reason Cao Lu never asked them to work as doubles for anything more than an exhibition match. 

"We have until November. How hard can it be?" Jaehyun asks. 

"Very hard!" Sangyeon retorts. "I don't want to be stuck here with you for months."

The dimension traveller laughs. "That's the whole point." 

The Jaehyun and Sangyeon who live in this dimension are incredibly vain. Wherever possible, they have framed photographs of themselves around the house. Jaehyun gets it, this isn't a very sophisticated prank. He really has been dragged into some other plane of existence where down is up, and black is white, and he's married to Sangyeon. 

At the top of the stairs, a huge photograph from the wedding is on the landing wall. Jaehyun and Sangyeon are grinning at each other, hands squeezed tightly together as confetti is thrown over them. It's a nice picture aside from how mortifying the image is. Jaehyun is still entranced by the harrowing portrait when Sangyeon climbs the stairs. 

"That's the worst thing I have ever seen in my life," Sangyeon says. 

"I can't believe this isn't edited."

"They're idiots." 

"Marriage works for some people," Jaehyun allows. 

"Of course. But these two look like they got matching lobotomies on the day they met," Sangyeon scoffs. 

"Right. As opposed to the one you got independently?" 

Sangyeon shoves Jaehyun's arm. "Anyway someone called the landline for you. It sounds serious. You had better go and take the call."

Though dubious about the nature of the call, Jaehyun passes the many smiling photographs lining the wall of the narrow staircase to answer the phone which has been left out of its cradle in the living room. 

"I just heard that your anniversary party is at the end of November."

"Is this a surprise?" Jaehyun asks slowly. "Is that not the date of my wedding?" 

"How am I supposed to know?" Is the sharp response. "But when you came to me, all pathetic and unctuous, and said, _'Oh, Sooyoungie, my most beautiful and amazing friend, give me the number of the lady who did your birthday party last year,_ ' and I did! But why are you wasting Kahei's time on a party that is months and months away?"

Obviously Jaehyun has no idea. He doesn't even know what month they are in right now but he tries to sound apologetic enough. "We just want the party to be right," he says. He remembers what he saw on the mock-up invitations. "It is our cotton anniversary after all."

"Cotton," Sooyoung scoffs. "You're being like this because you know you won't make it to an important anniversary like silver, aren't you?" 

"I don't know," Jaehyun says. "Is cotton not impressive?" 

"Obviously not! You're lucky I didn't have a party myself this year. But how much did Kahei charge you for today's consultation? Do you have enough left over to come out with me next weekend?" 

This is yet another thing Jaehyun doesn't have a clue about either but he has the feeling that the Jaehyun from this dimension wouldn't say no. 

"I'll be there with bells on," He croaks. 

The response is a loud snort and Jaehyun isn't sure why he thought the man he replaced here would say something like that. 

  
  


Getting ready for bed is daunting just for the fact that this horribly domestic couple don't even have a guest room. They share a bed and that exhausts all of their options for comfortable sleeping arrangements. The sofa could be the most comfortable item of furniture in the world but the Egyptian cotton sheets on the bed are going to be cradling Jaehyun off to sleep no matter what. 

Jaehyun and Sangyeon aren't fighters but with an incentive like the plush bed, Jaehyun is sure he could win. He needs this bed in his life if he is to suffer with Sangyeon for the next few months. 

Whilst waiting for Sangyeon to pick up the hundreds of bottles and containers it seems have just crashed to the floor in the bathroom, Jaehyun starts going through his phone. They agreed to look together so they can piece together the lives of the people they are replacing, but Jaehyun is getting impatient. Of course this is the moment he recalls the saying, _'curiosity killed the cat,'_ because he sees something he wishes he could wipe from his memory. Locking the phone and turning it facedown on the bed doesn't help. 

Glimpses of a muted video flash in Jaehyun's mind with every blink. The melting heat of awe seeping out of a different Sangyeon singes behind Jaehyun's eyelids. When Sangyeon eventually saunters into the bedroom, irritated, Jaehyun can't look at him. 

Sangyeon flops onto the bed and groans in relief. Maybe this is how he sounds when he is between Jaehyun's legs. The thought roils in Jaehyun's stomach. He doesn't want to consider things like this but he can't help himself. He envies Sangyeon’s slice of ignorance right up until he opens his mouth. 

"What do you think the passcode is on these phones?" 

"What do you mean?" 

Sangyeon hums and glances up at Jaehyun. "I cheated. I tried to look around earlier but I couldn't work out the passcode. What do you think these boring idiots would use to protect their privacy?" 

"Mine was your birthday."

"That's pathetic," Sangyeon snorts. "Let me try that. What's your birthday?" 

"You really don't know my birthday?" Jaehyun asks. The false indignation is a suitable mask for the nausea rising in his throat. The people they have replaced are married. It shouldn't be such a shock that those people have sex. Jaehyun just wishes he had never seen such a thing. He offers his birthday to Sangyeon’s indifferent gaze and gets a sigh of relief in response. 

"Thank goodness," Sangyeon says, "Even this idiot I replaced isn't _that_ much of a sap." 

"How are you supposed to learn anything if you can't unlock your phone?" 

Sangyeon shrugs and shuffles closer to Jaehyun. "What have you found?" 

Jaehyun doesn't even have enough time to react before Sangyeon plucks his phone and has unlocked it. His expression is inscrutable as he watches the screen before he raises a sneer at Jaehyun. 

"You filthy pervert," Sangyeon says. "Have you been sneaking off all day to watch dirty videos? That's sick. I definitely don't want to be in the same bed as someone who has been looking at me like that." Sangyeon tosses the phone to Jaehyun and says, "You can have the sofa."

"No way," Jaehyun says. His mouth feels oddly numb but he needs it to start working so he doesn't get bested by Sangyeon of all people. 

"I was going to make you sleep on the sofa anyway seeing as you tried to kill me. But this is something you can't fight against. I'm not having you in this bed with me so you can try to cop a feel."

"I'm not going to—" 

"Get out."

Jaehyun wishes he could argue with the point that he tried to kill Sangyeon because the dimension traveller had also made a fuss about almost being killed. Jaehyun takes a pillow encased in Egyptian cotton and a thick throw blanket as he is relegated from the bedroom. The sofa isn't nearly as comfortable as the bed would have been. 

  
  
*  
  


Jaehyun is fairly certain that the man he has replaced in this dimension is horrible. Nobody who is genuinely good would be so desperate to prove it. Jaehyun and Sangyeon work full-time yet four out of the seven days each week have stupid little notes on the magnetic calendar stuck to the fridge. 

Sunday afternoon saw Sangyeon and Jaehyun at an elderly care home. They spent hours chatting with old people and helping out the carers when bringing drinks to the residents or hosting bingo games. It was strange but apparently Sangyeon is incredibly popular with the old ladies. 

Tuesday sees them in the supermarket with a list of items they are supposed to take to a foodbank. As nice as it is that the other Jaehyun and Sangyeon are so charitable, Jaehyun doesn't believe it. 

"Put that back," Sangyeon says without even looking up from his phone screen. Since the shame of realising his phone's passcode is the date on their party invitations he has barely looked away from his phone. 

"No," Jaehyun says as he takes another pack of Tropicana off the shelf and clutches it to his chest. "I think the people deserve a treat." 

"That's expensive. Are we just going to throw out the list and give stupid drinks to the foodbank? What about rice, tinned vegetables? Things people can eat for survival."

"We can get all that stuff and some Tropicana. Imagine how happy the people will be when they get to _apple tok tok tok Tropicana_ because they get something this good in their food parcel."

Sangyeon very nearly smiles but he manages to bite back the expression by the time he meets Jaehyun's eyes. "No. Maybe next time but we can't afford it right now if we get everything on the list. Isn't it better to feed more people than to give one person enough pop to rot their teeth?" 

Jaehyun decides to give in. He got his way already when he insisted on chilli sauce to go along with the more practical options like soy sauce, oyster sauce, and vegetable oil. He will get Tropicana next time. Even if he won't see the gratitude he will know that he has made someone's day. 

Jaehyun and Sangyeon are lucky. They both have jobs at the same company, though Jaehyun is relieved that they work in totally different departments, and they could even be called comfortable. The schedule on the fridge will see them spending time with elderly people on Wednesdays and Sundays, and they prepare groceries for the local foodbank every Tuesday, they help out at a soup kitchen on Thursdays, and they read with kids in a library on Saturday mornings. They have such full schedules ahead that it must be impossible to spend a day not seeing what they have taken for granted. They are undoubtedly awful people if they need to do this much. 

Once they have paid for a load of sensible shopping, non-perishable food all packed into the boot of their needlessly fancy car, they drive to the foodbank. Jaehyun thinks it convenient that the other Jaehyun

and Sangyeon put the name of the specific foodbank onto the calendar reminder as though they suspected someone else would need to see details like that. He is glad they did but they still get a bit lost whilst following the satnav. 

The coordinator at the foodbank is cheery, if a bit harried, and she thanks the two of them for their donation before directing them to take their shopping inside, ready for volunteers to check it into their inventory. 

Jaehyun can't imagine needing to resort to a place like this, living hand to mouth and unable to feed himself and his loved ones, but he is glad to see so many volunteers eager to help. They are all organised, categorising donations into food, seasonings, toiletries and cleaning supplies, and seeing the method behind everything is impressive. 

Of course the fact remains that all of this is for a reason. People are struggling. People can't get by. Jaehyun can't open his mouth to say anything even as he and Sangyeon are leaving. 

"The problems we think we have aren't really problems, are they?" Sangyeon asks on the drive back. His voice wavers and he exhales, thin. Though he is staring straight ahead at the road and his fingers are blanched as they grip the steering wheel, the gloss of his eyes is rose-tinted. 

"Stop the car."

"What?" 

"Stop the car or stop crying. I'm not ready to die yet," Jaehyun instructs. 

Sangyeon looks confused and he shakes his head before refocusing on the road. "You're not going to die."

"I'm not willing to take that risk," Jaehyun says more insistently. He reaches for the steering wheel. "Stop the car or we're going to die anyway."

The car swerves and a sickening dullness grips Jaehyun's stomach. He doesn't intend to die but he hadn't expected Sangyeon to jerk the wheel so strongly in the direction of traffic once more. Whatever Sangyeon shouts at Jaehyun is lost to Jaehyun's yelling but when the car is back under control, Sangyeon pulls over to the kerb. 

"What is wrong with you?" he spits. "You could have killed us."

"You're crying. You were going to kill us anyway," Jaehyun retorts. Sangyeon scoffs and slumps back in his seat. 

"I'm not crying."

"You were before you almost steered us into oncoming traffic. Your face is still wet, idiot."

Sangyeon scrubs at his cheeks and his breath is light, bated as it hisses between his lips. "I wouldn't crash just because of that."

"Why, do you have a lot of experience driving with tears in your eyes?" The jeer is a joke more than anything but Sangyeon doesn't say anything at all. Jaehyun wasn't aware that Sangyeon even had real emotions beyond being a misery-guts. For all his antagonism, Sangyeon is a good table tennis player and he hasn't sustained any lasting injuries. Jaehyun can't think what there is to cry about. 

With his heart still hammering in his chest, the memory of the car horn and flash of headlights resounding in his mind, Jaehyun clears his throat. He doesn't want to think about whatever makes other people cry. Not even right now when Sangyeon is supposed to be a man who is happy. 

Jaehyun is a man who is happy. He works a boring office job, and knows way too much about his colleagues, and he and his husband pretend to be nice people. Nothing at all to cry over. 

"I shouldn’t have said anything," Jaehyun says. It is as close to an apology as Sangyeon will ever get from him but being capable of this much feels like an achievement. 

"I hadn't ever thought about people who are in circumstances like that before," Sangyeon offers, quiet in the static density of the car. "People rely on those foodbanks to survive. Their lives are hard. We don't need to worry about things like that."

Jaehyun nods. "You can't keep crying about it though. We're going to be doing this every week. You're going to dehydrate yourself."

Sangyeon almost laughs but his dislike of Jaehyun must pin back the possibility of the sound. 

It probably isn't the right time to start off home. Things feel unfinished yet this feels like progress already. 

Glancing past Sangyeon’s reluctant smile, Jaehyun reads the sign on the building they have parked next to. It is a building which reminds him of his childhood and the reason he started playing table tennis in the first place. 

"Hey," Jaehyun says, "I don't trust you to drive right now. Can we go in there and play?" Sangyeon begins to dispute Jaehyun's reasoning for not trusting him to drive but it does not matter. Jaehyun doesn't care. He nudges Sangyeon’s arm despite the clear resistance, and points at the scruffy looking sports club. "Those places always have table tennis. It will be a good way to get your mind somewhere that won't get us both killed."

The inside of the sports club is dingy and dark and Jaehyun's footsteps peel unsettlingly from the floor. He hates it, how dirty and old and battered everything looks, and it is exactly like the one Jaehyun remembers from his youth. 

Sangyeon looks apprehensive and Jaehyun wonders how Sangyeon had his first experience with the sport he must love so much if not in a place like this. Asking is pointless because Jaehyun doesn't want to risk hearing any sentimental stories at a time like this. Instead he approaches the bar, oddly satisfied by the disappointment of his shoes sticking to the worn carpet and asks to rent two table tennis bats and a few balls. The charge for the table itself is nominal and, just to feel like an actual customer here, Jaehyun orders two fruit juices. 

The table is right at the back of the sports club, away from the bar and the seating, and behind all the pool and snooker tables. The light above the table flickers listlessly and the net across the centre line sags. 

"If I knew it would be like this, I would have just driven us into traffic on purpose," Sangyeon mutters. 

"Shut up." 

Setting aside the chipped table, a huge chunk missing where one of the corners should be, and the large crack across one half, it is the best they will get for now. Table tennis hasn't ever been this dire before but Jaehyun isn't going to be ungrateful when he has missed training already. 

"Back to penhold are we?" Jaehyun asks when they put down their drinks on the grimy windowsill and get ready to play. Sangyeon almost looks guilty as he glances down at his grip around the bat. Jaehyun can't help but press on in spite of that. "I haven't seen you use penhold outside of an actual match for way too long. Does that mean this is serious? What's the wager?" 

"The wager is: if I win, you shut up forever."

Jaehyun grins. He can do that. Not shutting up, of course, but the thrill of a game with stakes like this already has Jaehyun stalling on a sudden surge of adrenaline. 

Neither of them have warmed up properly, and they're not dressed to play, but this already feels serious. 

Jaehyun serves and Sangyeon gives him an easy hit. They aren't even playing. This is a lot more like a simple drill as they volley the ball slowly with no spin at all. The two of them are lightly brushing at the ball with each stroke. Cao Lu isn't here to instruct either of them, not that she often finds success when she asks them to train together. 

"Who is winning?" someone asks, leaning just out of Jaehyun’s peripheral vision against the nearest pool table. 

"Nobody," Sangyeon says without looking away. They're both just getting a feel for the ball and working out their rhythm. 

"You're both really good. It looks like an even match," the spectator says. 

"I'm better," Jaehyun offers. Sangyeon disagrees with a chop. Jaehyun barely registers the downward slicing motion of Sangyeon’s arm before the ball whizzes past him due to the added backspin. 

"You're right," Sangyeon says. "You're better."

"You cheered up quick."

"All because of you, babe," Sangyeon says, saccharine. There has never been so much as a joke from Sangyeon’s lips before yet the challenge is enough. When Sangyeon serves, Jaehyun keeps his eye on the ball. 

This time they're faster. Still close to the table as is the most comfortable way, they hit the ball back and forth. Points are scored when there is spin on the ball and the trajectory slices perfectly or imperfectly through the air. More often than any smashes gaining an advantage, it is the urgency of such power which loses them points when impatience leads to a stroke hard enough that the ball doesn't bounce on the far side of the table. 

Only a few days have passed since they arrived in this dimension but Jaehyun's body has missed playing. His muscles are wound too tight from the anticipation of a win, the wins he missed out on at the tournament he was dragged away from, and he doesn't possess the agility he would need to put on an impressive performance. All the same, he and Sangyeon have attracted a small crowd of spectators who have paused their games of snooker, or pool, or darts. 

"Who is winning?" A new arrival asks. 

"No clue. I don't know the rules but they're not bad, are they?" 

Jaehyun falters. He hasn't been properly counting. He and Sangyeon haven't marked the ends of games, and they haven't switched sides of the table. They have simply been chipping away at each other until they could force a mistake to gain a point. 

"What game is this?" Jaehyun asks. Sangyeon misses. The frown on his face doesn't indicate too much more than the obvious. He hasn't been counting either. 

"Should we start again?" Sangyeon suggests. 

"I don't know how long we've been playing already but I don't think we have long left," Jaehyun says. The few people gathered around begin to disperse at the paused play. That's fine. They aren't here for the spectators. Despite the fact he hasn't been counting points and games, the focus in Sangyeon’s eyes shines of success. "Let's play tomorrow."

"Old people tomorrow," Sangyeon supplies. 

"What?" 

"After work we're back to chatting with old people. Wednesdays and Sundays."

Sunday was oddly tiring. Jaehyun doesn't have it in him to play against Sangyeon after keeping some old people company. 

"The day after tomorrow?" 

"Soup kitchen. But I think Friday is free. Friday and Monday." 

It sounds more like a promise than a suggestion and already Jaehyun is looking forward to the chance to redeem himself. Friday, and Monday after that, Jaehyun will wear the right clothes to allow a better range of motion, he will warm up his muscles, he will prepare mentally and he will destroy Sangyeon in every game they play even in this dimension. 

*

The schedule barely makes time for meeting friends, which Jaehyun appreciates is a strange thing for him to be concerned about. At home in his own dimension, Jaehyun's schedule is ruled by training and conditioning and matches and tournaments and he doesn't have time to see friends often either. Having Saturday evening free to go and meet a friend in a bar, have a few drinks, and fall onto the sofa to sleep off the grip of an impending hangover before having to make himself presentable for Sunday afternoon seems like a luxurious amount of time. 

Jaehyun is going to make sure to enjoy his slice of life away from Sangyeon. 

Thankfully Jaehyun's world here isn't narrow enough that everyone he knows works at the same company as him. Sooyoung is co-owner of an independent chain of bars which sounds way too impressive when Jaehyun remembers he is a corporate drone (and not even a good one at that). 

Even better than the knowledge that Sooyoung is the proprietor of the bar where they meet is the knowledge that she won't even make Jaehyun pay. This is an opportunity that Jaehyun is going to take full advantage of. He hasn't had so much as a sniff of alcohol for as long as he can remember. 

Two rounds of drinks in, Jaehyun thinks he is doing a great job of pretending to be Sooyoung's good friend Jaehyun who has always existed in this dimension. 

"Why are you making up stories?" Sooyoung sighs tiredly. "I know for a fact you are not a world ranked ping-pong player."

"Table tennis," Jaehyun corrects. He repositions their glasses on the table to represent two opposing players but he finds he has lost the balled-up napkin which signified an overly-large ball. "And I'm not right now because I'm here, but when I sprained my knee I thought I was going to die. My platell… patlelta… tapella… kneecap twisted right out of place and I went down like _wahhhh!"_

"I'm going to kill you," Sooyoung says, the resignation in her tone suggesting Jaehyun's life isn't really in danger. All Jaehyun did was spill both of their drinks. Their legs aren't that wet. 

"You can pay for all of your drinks next time," Sooyoung grumbles. The waitress who is unfortunately tasked with helping to clean up scurries away to bring a glass of water which Sooyoung practically tips down Jaehyun's front rather than into his mouth. 

By the time Jaehyun gets to the bottom of his glass of water, his mind is sharp in a way that he hadn't realised it was fuzzy and dull. Now the irritation on Sooyoung's face is clear. 

"I'm not strong enough to drag you up your stupid stairs and into your stupid bed, you know."

"You're saying that with these arms?" Jaehyun asks as he prods Sooyoung's bicep. He presses a twitching smile out of her. Things aren't so bad. "Right now you would only have to throw me onto the sofa. I am not allowed to sleep in the bed."

Sooyoung laughs and finally unfolds her arms. "What did you do?" 

"I don't want to talk about it."

Sooyoung laughs even louder and slaps Jaehyun's arm. "That means you know it's your fault. Or that's what Haseul said the last time Jinsol yelled at me."

"I can imagine how everything would be your fault," Jaehyun hums. He probably deserves the kick under the table. Whilst rubbing his shin, he asks, "How are things with you? Have you been yelled at recently?" 

Sooyoung shakes her head. "I have been very careful. The third bar we opened isn't doing as well as expected. I don't know if the location doesn't suit the concept we went for but I haven't complained at all at home. Keeping my concerns to myself should be worth something, shouldn't it?"

Jaehyun hums. "If you're married, shouldn't you be able to rant about everything that is bothering you?" 

Sooyoung smiles. "If I reveal everything so soon into the marriage I will be divorced in no time. This is what you are for. You're going to need to regain your alcohol tolerance so you can single-handedly keep my business afloat."

Jaehyun isn't sure how serious Sooyoung is, regardless of her quiet smile, but Jaehyun thinks he should at least try to help her out. He lends her his ears and sends a text to Kahei about a possible venue alteration for the party. 

By the time they call it a night, Jaehyun thinks he could get used to an arrangement like this. Sooyoung's rhythm keeps things fun between them — fun enough that Jaehyun starts playing along with her drinking games during her stories. The front door is unlocked when Jaehyun gets home and he thinks he locks the door before he goes to the toilet and collapses onto the sofa for the night. 

  
  


*

"You need to start sleeping in the bed," Sangyeon says, lingering at the sofa. Jaehyun would agree because his body is too stiff no matter how much he stretches, but he is suspicious about how Sangyeon reached this conclusion. 

"What's going on? Are you scared of the dark?" 

Sangyeon makes an irritated sound and shakes his head. "Someone from my department gave me the number for a marriage counsellor today. I still haven't forgiven you for trying to kill me, but the other Sangyeon probably wouldn't appreciate any rumours about his marriage."

"Oh." 

Jaehyun wonders what conversations are like in Sangyeon’s department if topics like marriage trouble come up so easily but he isn't going to question it too deeply when he has the best sleep he has had in a long time. When Jaehyun gets home he will invest in Egyptian cotton sheets just like these. 

*

In this dimension Sangyeon has a very nice car. The slate grey Audi TT RS isn't something Jaehyun has thought a boring office worker would drive, but he appreciates the comfort. The problem is when the car disappears one morning. Or perhaps overnight. Either way, Jaehyun stares at the empty space on the street outside their house. 

The heated seats, the incredible horsepower, the smooth handling, the external cameras… All gone. 

"Sangyeon," Jaehyun calls over his shoulder into the house. 

"What?" Sangyeon shouts. 

"The car's gone." Jaehyun's voice peters out uselessly by the time Sangyeon is standing beside him. 

"Oh," Sangyeon says. "I thought you were taking the piss."

Sangyeon is incredibly calm for about three seconds before he sprints out of the house and shouts down the street. He is an idiot, that's for sure. 

They call the police and Sangyeon deals with that whilst Jaehyun gets a taxi to the library. Reading to the children alone is strange, not only because so many children ask about the man with the angry eyebrows. For once Jaehyun is glad to get home. 

Of course the car has been stolen. Sangyeon grouches around but there isn't much they could do even after the car has been recovered the next day, battered within an inch of its life. The hot topic of conversation at work that week is the mystery of Jaehyun and Sangyeon’s car, mostly because everyone who saw them get out of the courtesy car provided by the insurance company began immediately speculating. 

It would have been nice to have a conversation that week which didn't revolve around the stupid car but clearly Jaehyun is asking for too much. Even Sangyeon gets in on it when he calls Jaehyun's desk phone from his own office. 

"Why are you calling me about the car?" Jaehyun groans. "It's totalled. Gone. Let's move on."

"No, listen," Sangyeon grumbles. "They found out who took it for a joyride. You know that kid from next door? Sunwoo?" 

"What kid?" 

"You haven't met him?" Sangyeon prompts, "He's awful! He asked me the other day how I tricked you into marrying me."

"I am sort of wondering that too," Jaehyun laughs. Sangyeon sighs. 

"Are you listening? He stole our car. We're going to destroy that kid." 

"What? Are you pressing charges?" 

"What are the police going to do?" Sangyeon scoffs. "We're going to do it ourselves. And he won't be able to refuse because we can just threaten him with the police anyway."

"Were we sent here to beat up kids?" Jaehyun ponders, "I thought there was a different reason."

"You're just making me sound like a crazy person. We won't beat him up, we'll just make him suffer a bit."

After actually hearing Sangyeon’s plan to make the kid suffer, Jaehyun doesn't hate it enough to reject it. After work on Friday, one of their only days off from being charitable, Jaehyun can't help but consider, they go to their neighbours and ask for their eldest son. 

Sunwoo's mother looks sheepish, clearly aware of what her son does for fun, and there is no resistance to the proposed trip. Not that there should be any reason to refuse. The Jaehyun and Sangyeon of this dimension are probably incredibly reasonable people. 

When they arrive at the sports club, Sunwoo looks confused, but he has a good poker face as he follows Jaehyun and Sangyeon to the low-lit bar. They order three fruit juices and they pay for two hours at the battered, creaking table at the back of the club and they rent a box of scuffed white balls and two bats. They walk past the traditional bar seating in view of the TVs, and between the many pool and snooker tables, and behind the dart boards and skittles lane. 

Sunwoo smirks. "You want me to play ping-pong?" 

"Table Tennis," Sangyeon offers, unusually calm as he sets the three drinks down on the painted over windowsill. 

Sunwoo doesn't look any more impressed. "Is that what you two do for fun? You run around wearing headbands and tiny shorts?" 

"Show some respect-" 

Sangyeon waves his hand at Jaehyun to make him quiet. He asks for Sunwoo's hand and moulds it around one of the bats, Korean penhold. Sunwoo frowns at the discomfort of his thumb and index finger curled around the handle whilst his other three fingers are positioned stiffly against the rubber on the reverse of the bat. 

"Isn't this upside-down?" 

"It's how I want you to play," Sangyeon says. 

"I don't want to play at all."

"You wrecked our car," Jaehyun points out, "Let us choose your punishment."

Sunwoo swallows back his retort and frowns down at the bat in his hand. At least for his abrasive nature, Sunwoo listens well when Sangyeon gives him some very brief instructions. His eyes boggle when Sangyeon says, "Let's see how you do in a match against Jaehyun."

"Why can't I play against you?" 

"Because I'm too annoyed at you and I want to see Jaehyun destroy you," Sangyeon supplies easily. "Jaehyun is Chinese penhold so he has more options for flexibility but-" 

"You're Chinese? You speak just like you're Korean."

"I _am_ Korean," Jaehyun grumbles. Jaehyun slips his hand around the other bat in the way that is second-nature and shows Sunwoo. "It's the name of the grip."

"Are we playing the same?" 

"It's different," Sangyeon says. He reaches for Jaehyun's hand to hold out to Sunwoo and trails his index finger along the fingers that Jaehyun is holding curved against the rubber. It tickles but Jaehyun pretends it doesn't. "See how Jaehyun's fingers aren't stiff like yours? Don't try to match it, you're supposed to be holding it differently. If you played Chinese penhold, you wouldn't be able to put as much power into your strokes so Korean penhold will give you some power where Jaehyun will be playing with a bit more flexibility."

Sunwoo looks between the two of them and offers, "It's just ping-pong."

"Table Tennis," Jaehyun corrects. Sunwoo rolls his eyes. 

As predicted, Jaehyun doesn't even need to try in order to score points. Sangyeon tosses tips Sunwoo's way, instructing him to stiffen the position of his arm, adjust the position of his feet, how best to shift his weight, to rotate his hips, and even where he should move in order to return Jaehyun's shots. Nonetheless, Jaehyun is a professional athlete. 

"This isn't fair," Sunwoo grumbles as he swipes away his sweat-soaked fringe which is sticking to his forehead. "You weirdos do this all the time, that's the only reason you're winning."

"Alright," Sangyeon says cheerily, "Shakehand."

Sunwoo holds his hand out and Sangyeon laughs. "Not you. It's another grip, but if you want to try it too that's fine."

Despite faring slightly better in shallow shakehand and almost hitting the ball, Sunwoo reverts to Korean penhold before too long. Though Jaehyun isn't fond of shakehand it really doesn't affect his play in a match like this. Maybe Sunwoo is right. This is only ping-pong. 

Sangyeon is the only person in this life who is even close to being a match for Jaehyun, and even then they play more out of muscle memory than with the intent to win. Playing against Sunwoo is unsatisfactory. _Teaching_ Sunwoo is unsatisfactory and Jaehyun would rather be the one in Sangyeon’s position, leisurely sipping juice, if this is how they're going to get their pound of Sunwoo's flesh. Agile slices and chops which he doesn't have a hope of returning. 

Sunwoo is panting against the table by the time he gives up. Sangyeon approaches him with a glass of juice and a pat on the back. "Same again next week?" 

"What?" Sunwoo asks weakly as he lifts his head. 

"Your lessons. We're taking you on as a student."

"You can't do that." 

"We can, and we will," Sangyeon retorts. "You'd have to pay a lot to get the pleasure of tuition from players as good as us and we're even going to teach you for free. Aren't we such kind neighbours to do this out of the goodness of our hearts?" 

Jaehyun attempts to get Sangyeon’s attention but he is too busy staring Sunwoo into the submission of saying yes. 

"You're only doing this because of your stupid car."

"That's right," Sangyeon agrees. "I'm doing this because of the stupid car. And so are you."

Sunwoo grumbles as he sinks more heavily against the table. Jaehyun plays along until they have shoved Sunwoo out of their courtesy car and they watch him stagger up to his own front door. 

"You're not serious about teaching him, are you?" 

"I think it would be good for him to learn a sport which encourages discipline," Sangyeon says defensively. He folds his arms across his chest and just like that he is prepared for a fight. Jaehyun wants to laugh but he thinks they should probably get the issue out of the way before being antagonistic for the sake of it. 

"The two of us, you and me, are going to teach a kid about discipline," Jaehyun says slowly. "I think you're getting too much into this whole suburban dad vibe and you're forgetting who we are."

"What do you mean?" 

"Sangyeon, we're here because we're not disciplined. If the dimension traveller knew anything about us, she would have known we were lost causes," Jaehyun points out. "We're both good players but we're not good sportsmen."

Sangyeon is quiet for a moment and he stares through the windscreen at the quiet of the street. He must already have known this. There is no denying the reputations they both have and Jaehyun often wonders about poor Cao Lu whose two best players misbehave to the point of regularly forfeiting matches. Eventually though, Sangyeon does speak. 

"Then maybe this is what we need to do in order to go back. If we have to set a good example for a kid like Sunwoo then maybe we will earn enough points to win."

Jaehyun isn't so sure but he supposed they need to try something new. They have plateaued at this false-summit where they aren't so easily drawn into overblown fights over stupid things. Constantly biting their tongues probably isn't good enough to say that they truly get along. 

"I suppose it can't hurt," Jaehyun allows. When Sangyeon thanks him it sounds uncomfortably genuine and Jaehyun can't stop wondering why it would mean so much to him. 

What Jaehyun learns in the proceeding weeks is just how much taking on a student like Sunwoo can hurt. Of course he isn't taking lessons out of his own will so it only makes sense that he is always late, never listens, and has several times asked to go to the toilet so that he can try to squeeze himself out through the narrow window in one of the stalls. 

Sunwoo stopped trying to escape through the window after the time the fire brigade was called to extract him from the tight frame, but he mostly seemed annoyed that Sangyeon and Jaehyun being charged for the window repairs didn't instantly expel him from their tutelage. 

"You still have a good few years left before you've paid off your debt," Jaehyun informs him. 

"You're a demon."

"You're a thief."

Sunwoo can't refute that and returns to his drills, trying to successfully chop a ball sent his way by Jaehyun. 

*

At work, the air conditioning unit is broken and Jaehyun makes do with heading two floors down to Sangyeon’s office. The open plan office for the complaints department is half below ground and is much cooler than Jaehyun's office even without the powerful air conditioning. What Jaehyun learns early on in the summer is that the office freezer is well stocked with ice lollies. As has become customary lately, Jaehyun helps himself to two ice lollies before perching at the edge of Sangyeon’s desk and pretending not to listen to his phone call. 

Sangyeon glances up at Jaehyun and smiles in thanks for the ice lolly nudged his way. By the time Sangyeon has nodded and hummed and been very understanding to the person on the other end of the line, Jaehyun is down to the stick of his own lolly. 

"Was there a lot of shouting?" Jaehyun asks. Sangyeon shakes his head, grim, so Jaehyun decides to be helpful and unwrap the lolly for him. 

"Worse. She was crying." Sangyeon takes the ice lolly and squints at it. "I don't suppose you came to rescue me from hearing people cry and take me out to lunch."

"Where would I take you?" Jaehyun asks whilst making himself more comfortable on Sangyeon’s desk. 

"Hungary," Sangyeon decides. 

"Hungary? For lunch?" 

"That's right," Sangyeon nods. He bites into the top of his ice lolly and winces. 

"I can't drive a car but you want me to fly a plane to Hungary for you?" 

"The plane will do all the work," Sangyeon reasons. He leans back and sags in his seat. "This job is horrible. Why did Sangyeon want to listen to people suffer all day?" 

"It is punishment for all the times you forced everyone at home to suffer," Jaehyun grins. It gets a laugh. A small success. "I don't know about lunch, or Hungary for that matter, but there's a firework display tonight if you want to go and see it."

Sangyeon looks hesitant but he nods. "That sounds alright."

The park hosting the firework display has a huge lake in the middle and that is apparently a good enough landmark when Sooyoung tells them where to meet. 

"I am sure we've walked around this thing twice," Sangyeon grumbles. "Your friend isn't here, is she?"

"She's here," Jaehyun says as he keeps peering around. He hasn't seen Sooyoung but he is certain she wouldn't let him down. She said she had a really good spot, not that anywhere nearby looks particularly advantageous for viewing the fireworks. 

They keep walking and Sangyeon begins to grumble louder. 

"You know, I'd expect a world-class athlete to have the focus to help me look for my friend."

"Who is an athlete?" Sangyeon asks, "I am Lee Sangyeon, a boring man who listens to people complain and cry all day."

Sangyeon is annoying, but Jaehyun can cope with that until he finally sees Sooyoung sitting on the grass behind a woman waving at them. Jaehyun was right but he can't believe she hadn't bothered to look out for him. 

"Sorry we're late. You weren't very helpful when we tried to find you," Jaehyun says as he flops onto the grass beside Sooyoung. She glances up from her phone and smiles sunnily in the cool evening. 

"I'm a very busy woman. I don't have time to help you. Tell him, Jinsol." 

Jinsol has a thin smile and she looks almost hesitant to tell them how busy Sooyoung is. 

"You're Jinsol?" Sangyeon says. He's… Not smart, Jaehyun realises. He is beginning to doubt the claims people make about the cerebral power of table tennis players. 

"Of course she's Jinsol, we've known her for years," Jaehyun hisses through a stiff smile. "Sooyoung is the other one. My _friend."_

"That's right, baby, I just forgot because of the heat. Feeling a bit woozy."

Sangyeon is terrible at this. Surely everyone he knows has already worked out that there is something wrong with him. 

"I'm Jinsol," Jinsol confirms as she reaches into her satchel. "Have some water, I have painkillers too if you think you need them. Hopefully it will be cooler here by the lakeside." 

Despite everything, Jinsol is an angel and she keeps checking on Sangyeon. If Sangyeon was a better actor, or he at least attempted to be convincing, Jinsol might not look so put out. 

Jaehyun is the only one bothering to pretend Sangyeon is unwell, keeping an arm across his shoulder whilst trying to work out how to navigate conversations with Jinsol too until the fireworks begin. 

Where Sooyoung is easy, Jinsol has something in her face which makes Jaehyun cautious. He needs to be careful with what he says, how he acts. He oddly feels as though Jinsol could end up telling him off over the echoing of music blasting through the park as small-time bands play to the waiting crowds. 

Perhaps bored with only being prompted to offer a word here or there, Sangyeon tips his head onto Jaehyun's shoulder. Sooyoung rolls her eyes but Jaehyun is relieved that they might pass a test like this without arousing too much suspicion. They eat a little picnic whilst they wait for the evening to get underway and Jaehyun realises that sitting in the midsummer heat whilst sipping cans of pop which warmed to the weather isn't the worst way to spend an evening. 

The fireworks begin shortly before the sky can be considered dark enough, the pale of the day clinging to the dusk, and it doesn't seem special. Jaehyun is struck by the fact that he hasn't ever taken the time to sit and watch explosions in the sky. 

Doing nothing at all feels strange, but this must be how the other Jaehyun lives. Being quiet, just viewing something because it is pretty and impressive, almost feels useless. The bangs and crackles of the sparkling embers across the canvas of twilight echo across the crowd and once or twice Jaehyun flinches at the especially deep booms which spread blooms of fire furthest above them. Sangyeon laughs quietly against Jaehyun's shoulder. Jaehyun glances down at him, catches the smirk which fades into the milder content of watching the display they came here for. 

This should be where they kiss, Jaehyun thinks as Sangyeon watches flowers made by fire bloom in the sky before their petals fall to the wind. The flashes of colour across Sangyeon’s face all clamour to dance in the sparkle of his eyes and Jaehyun can't look away. 

Sangyeon is beautiful, especially like this when he keeps his mouth shut. Maybe they could get along if Sangyeon stays like this, beautiful and quiet, agreeable. 

*

As impressive as Jaehyun and Sangyeon are as they volley ping-pong balls between them just for the sake of it, they no longer attract an audience at the little sports club they found. It is nicer this way. In the dingy yellow light above the battered ping-pong table in the corner, far from the entertained bustle of the pool and snooker tables and the dart boards, playing for the sake of playing is the mindless sort of task Jaehyun could do with these days. 

He misses how easy life was when he only needed to do one thing. Win. 

Jaehyun trained as hard as he could and then pushed himself more because he wanted to win. He wanted to be the best table tennis player and he wanted to prove it to be an undeniable fact. But he isn't living that life right now. The Jaehyun he is living as now isn't shouting out for attention and prestige - instead he is content being just a speck in the bigger picture of the world who helps others as often as he helps himself. 

The novel existence Jaehyun has slipped into now is strangest of all because of who the other Jaehyun chose to spend this quiet life with. 

Sangyeon is frowning on the other side of the table, his body relaxed as he keeps himself light enough to shift to ensure he can reach the ball that is hit back at him. His penhold grip on the bat is loose but his forearm is tensed just in the same way his brow is furrowed. He isn't taking this seriously enough that he wants to score points and win, but he is clearly determined not to be the one to break their streak. 

Jaehyun grins. He decides to test Sangyeon out with a flick of his wrist that is too sharp, almost wild in the way the ball spins away. Sangyeon reaches and he bats it back towards Jaehyun. His gaze is curious as he meets Jaehyun's eyes but he doesn't try anything himself. The ball continues to whizz from one side of the table to the other, the hollow pop of each bounce settling the agitation in the air between them. 

Again, the ball continues back and forth and Sangyeon’s forehead creases into a frown as he focuses on this one task. 

"Sangyeon," Jaehyun says cheerily. He gets a dull hum in response and Jaehyun can't help but smile as he asks his question. "Would you rather be here with the other Jaehyun?" 

"I don't know," Sangyeon mutters. "Do you know if he's any good at table tennis?" 

Jaehyun laughs and almost fumbles the ball. He makes his return in time though. Sangyeon exhales just a bit heavier through his nose at that. The reason he is suppressing his laugh isn't clear but Jaehyun doesn't mind. He's on his way to getting a reaction. 

"Do you think there is a universe where I am not one of the best table tennis players in the world?" Jaehyun asks. 

"Yeah," Sangyeon says as he smashes the ball so it barely lands at the edge of the table and ricochets at a trajectory Jaehyun wouldn't have any hope of meeting. "This one."

Jaehyun laughs and fetches the little white ball from underneath the pool table where it rolled. When he returns it to Sangyeon he receives a smile in response. Sangyeon tosses the ball into the air and catches it before Jaehyun has the chance to intercept it. 

"So. Why did you ask me that about the other Jaehyun? I take it you'd rather be here with the other Sangyeon."

"I sound like a prick if you put it like that," Jaehyun hums as he tries to remember which of the identical glasses on the painted-over windowsill was his drink in the first place. "I am just curious about him. The other versions of us are married, remember. What kind of man is the other Sangyeon that I'd want to marry him?" 

"Do you think the other Jaehyun is the same as you?" Sangyeon asks. Jaehyun turns away from the mysterious drinks and frowns. Sangyeon looks as though he has just commented on a strange smell rather than posing a question Jaehyun hadn't considered before. The grubby little sports club does smell strange but Jaehyun is used to it by now. What he isn't used to is the thought that the other Jaehyun is a completely different person. They were born the same yet the other Jaehyun might not be similar beyond his face. 

"Do you think he's different?" 

Sangyeon shrugs. Infuriating. "Rather than that, you have been talking so much about the other Sangyeon and how he must be so different to me but if he is different, why wouldn't the other Jaehyun?" 

"Because that wouldn't be me," Jaehyun says. He picks at the edge of one of the bats where it is delaminating but Sangyeon’s hand stills the motion by resting on top of Jaehyun’s fidgeting fingers. 

"He isn't you."

Jaehyun glances at Sangyeon’s face and tries to smile at the serious expression there. The smile isn't returned and the need to peel the rubber from the old bat grows. 

"He's probably nicer than me, right? A charitable saint," Jaehyun says against the twisting discomfort in his gut. 

"I think he's the same as you," Sangyeon says quietly. "Nobody has mentioned that we are different aside from having poor memories. Personality-wise, you must be the same as the other Jaehyun. I think I must be the same as the other Sangyeon too."

Sangyeon doesn't laugh when Jaehyun does so Jaehyun snaps his mouth shut against the jarring sound. That is too strange to consider. 

If the Jaehyun and Sangyeon from this dimension are the same as them it makes no sense. The versions of them from this dimension don't just get along well. They're in love. Jaehyun can't imagine loving his Sangyeon like that. 

Sangyeon isn't awful. He simply isn't a person to settle down with. 

*

Jaehyun's birthday falls on a Sunday. Sunday afternoons are spent at the elderly day centre. They mostly sit with the people who don't get many visitors, host bingo games, lose at yut-nori against those who like placing bets, make drinks, and try to cheer up the careworkers who are flagging after hours and hours of looking after the residents. 

After being surprised that morning with a present, the day feels normal when Jaehyun sees himself losing once more at yut-nori. He keeps getting told off for trying to split his moves between the horses he has on the board but nobody he plays with is clear about the rules. 

"It's my birthday, you know," Jaehyun grumbles when his elderly opponent slaps his hand with her knobbled fingers. 

"I know. The cake was delicious. Does having a birthday mean you're allowed to act a fool?" 

"I don't know how to play this game," Jaehyun says. "At least I am better than Sangyeon. Isn't that worth something?" 

"That's why I asked you to play and not him," the grandmother grouches. "Did that useless boy get you a good gift?" 

Jaehyun laughs. He wonders which part of 'useless boy' Sangyeon would be more offended about. "He bought a present for both of us. Table tennis racquets. He even bought rubbers for the blades but they're not really the kind I like. I don't know why he thinks I play with long pips like he does." 

"Do you think I know what you're talking about? Cast your yut-sticks."

Jaehyun does as he is told and groans as he watches another of the opponent's mal-pieces return home. 

"That useless boy of yours," the grouchy grandmother says, "How many times have you met each other?" 

Jaehyun frowns. "We live together."

"I don't mean this time. How many other times have you met for the first time?" 

The question shouldn't make any sense and Jaehyun's first instinct is to voice his confusion. However Jaehyun has already met Sangyeon for the first time more than once. He just isn't quite sure why this old woman would think to ask a question like that. 

Jaehyun clears his throat, supposes they are a sufficient distance from everyone else, and says, "Are you talking about other dimensions?" 

"If that's what you want to call it," the woman says as she prods her last remaining mal on the yut-nori board. 

"I only know about here and the place we came from," Jaehyun says quietly. "We're more like enemies really. We were sent here to learn how to get along."

The old woman surveys Jaehyun blankly for a moment before she reaches forward to smack his wrist. "Maybe I should be calling you the useless boy. I thought you were the smart one."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jaehyun whines as he rubs his injured wrist. 

"Why are you talking nonsense to me? Imagine if anyone else heard what you are coming out with!" 

" _You're_ the one who—" 

"'Sent here'," the woman clucks. "What sort of enemies could you be when you're married here?" 

Jaehyun frowns. This is too similar to the conversation he'd had with Sangyeon. They are probably the exact same people in this dimension, yet Jaehyun is happily married to the Sangyeon he met here. Even now, Jaehyun cannot work it out: how could they have met in a way that would have led to them wanting to be together? 

"We're athletes," Jaehyun says. "We are competing all the time with each other as well as other athletes from different clubs and countries. We are competing for attention from our coach. It is only natural that we're enemies."

"If that is the only issue between you and the useless boy, it isn't really a rivalry," the old woman grouches. "It is possible to fall out, but if you like each other enough to marry here, the good feelings will always find their way."

Jaehyun isn't sure that he knows what this all means but the old woman doesn't say any more on the matter and any of Jaehyun’s attempts to ask are brushed off as excuses to delay his defeat. The game goes on and Jaehyun wonders whether the woman is right, whether they would have met the right way in other dimensions and ended up in love there too. If that is the case, it is strange that they never had a chance of getting along well in the dimension where they started. 

*  
  


The dimension traveller turns up unannounced one Friday. Jaehyun, Sangyeon, and Sunwoo arrive home from the sports club and they go to their respective homes. The intruder sitting on the sofa isn't quite what they expect to see but Jaehyun is too offended that he has been shoved in front of Sangyeon as a human shield to care that the dimension traveller has been eating her way through the snacks they save for special occasions. 

"Oh. It's just you."

"It's me! Yena!" The dimension traveller says cheerily with a wave of her fingers. 

"What's that?" 

The dimension traveller frowns. "My name. You knew my name, right?" 

Sangyeon shuffles from behind Jaehyun and shakes his head. 

"How could either of us know something you never told us? By the way, how are we to know that you even know our names?"

The dimension traveller stares up at Sangyeon in disbelief. "You're so stupid. I'm not going to talk to you."

"He's not that stupid," Jaehyun offers. Sangyeon, for some bizarre reason, decides to show his appreciation by pinching Jaehyun's arm. 

"What kind of husband are you? At least say that I'm not stupid at all!" 

"I'm not really your husband."

Sangyeon laughs, calm and slow, before shoving his hand in Jaehyun's face. "We're both wearing rings! Look how married we are!" 

Jaehyun realises that offering any sort of defence of Sangyeon is pointless. He is incredibly stupid. Nudging Sangyeon away, Jaehyun turns back to the dimension traveller. "Anyway, Yena, what brings you to our house? Uninvited." 

"I was checking in on you, seeing your progress," Yena says cheerily. "You did just lose a lot of points for forgetting my name."

Sangyeon groans and sags against Jaehyun's shoulder. 

"Can we earn the points back?" 

Yena sweeps wrappers off her lap and stands to survey them both. "You just called your own husband stupid. How many points do you think you can gain?" 

"We get along so well," Sangyeon says. "We have a student. We're teaching a kid together. That has to be worth a hundred points."

Yena strokes her chin thoughtfully. "That does sound very impressive. Alright, you get the hundred points. You're still several thousand points away from a passing score though."

"What?" Sangyeon whines. He looks like he is on the verge of tears and Jaehyun wants to laugh at how soft living like this has made him. 

"You have plenty of time," Yena assures them. "Your anniversary party isn't until the end of November."

"So we have to wait until then no matter what?" 

"How else can we be sure you get on well enough not to get anyone killed?" 

Jaehyun is sure there are plenty of ways to ensure nobody else is going to get in trouble due to some bickering between Jaehyun and Sangyeon but Yena is oddly insistent on the anniversary date. It isn't as though Jaehyun has the power to change things anyway but he feels guilty about the time spent in this dimension where he doesn't have the chance to train. He isn't even sure that returning home would bring any satisfaction if his fitness and skill deteriorates whilst he lives as a boring man who works in a boring office. 

In spite of the blow from Yena, earning some arbitrary points is a reason to feel proud. Seeing as Yena had already been rifling through the kitchen cupboards Jaehyun decides he might as well delve in there for something congratulatory. 

" _Mango tok tok tok_ ," Sangyeon sing-songs when he sees Jaehyun approach with two cans. He looks almost cheerful as he sits on their narrow back patio. He gestures to the other fold-away chair he set up to look out over their tiny patch of garden, illuminated by the languid warmth of the late summer evening. 

"You are always fighting with Cao Lu. Does she really need to be your coach?" Jaehyun asks. He passes Sangyeon a can of Tropicana and this feels almost like old times. Cao Lu's celebratory routine involved Tropicana in the evenings and extensive use of imagination to pretend they were enjoying a feast that would ruin their tournament-season diets. The biggest difference is that Jaehyun thinks he's safe from Sangyeon turning the celebratory drinks into projectiles. 

Sangyeon fiddles with the ringpull of his can but he isn't anywhere near unreasonable. He simply shrugs. "Who else am I supposed to go to? My reputation is bad. No other coaches want to take on a player with my temperament. You were with Cao Lu first, but it looks like I turned up and ruined both of your reputations. Unfortunately, I think we're stuck with each other."

Jaehyun feels green grape bubbles effervesce on his tongue and he shrugs. "I wasn't asking because I want you to go. I was just wondering whether it was the best thing for you."

"Either Cao Lu is my coach or I retire."

Finally, Sangyeon’s can is torn open and the fizzing Tropicana inside hisses. Jaehyun watches him stare into the opening morosely. For all the effort he has been putting into training Sunwoo lately, Jaehyun hadn't expected he was living with an ultimatum like this. Despite training at the same gym, they didn't really know anything about each other's lack of options. 

"That's…"

"I asked around a few other coaches, that's how I know that nobody else would have me," Sangyeon admits. "The one person who said they would consider me told me that I would need to change my style completely. They wouldn't train a penhold for whatever reason. They wanted me further from the table, forehand dominant, anything to train out all my bad playing habits."

Jaehyun frowns. "You did what they said, didn't you?" He feels silly asking when the answer is obvious. He had seen it with his own eyes. Sangyeon had started practicing with a shakehand grip to try to appeal to a different coach. 

Jaehyun had thought the timing odd, Sangyeon suddenly playing matches with a different grip, standing further from the table to account for the new style, and of course making stupid mistakes where he shouldn't have been weak. Nobody should play tournaments with an uncomfortable style, but Sangyeon had already been risking his chances just in case another coach might want to help him out. 

"I did what they said," Sangyeon agrees. He swipes his hand over his face and when he drops it down to tap his fingernails against the can he looks exhausted. "Cao Lu is great, and she is happy with me playing how I want to. She just wants me to do that well. But I'm not winning the way I used to."

"That's because you suddenly changed the way you play."

"No. Before that. When you were injured the year before last, I basically had Cao Lu to myself and I realised that I was getting worse. I don't have long left at this level so I am getting desperate enough to do whatever anyone says, to train how anyone says, to… Take whatever anyone says."

The bubbles from the Tropicana evaporated away all the moisture in Jaehyun's mouth. This isn't right. Ryu Seung-min and Jeoung Young-sik each have over a decade on Sangyeon and they are the prides of the sport. There is no way Sangyeon’s time is running out. But he can't say anything as he watches the sloping shame settling over Sangyeon’s shoulders. 

"I'm sorry," He says in the space where Jaehyun wishes he had something to offer. "I really am stupid. Obviously the coach I had been talking to lied when they said all their athletes take those supplements. I had been doing something different and I still blamed you. Why would _you_ do something like that? Even if you hate me, you don't care that much. You're a bit noble for that."

Jaehyun wishes Sangyeon had taken something intentionally, seduced by the prospect of becoming better than he could be ordinarily. At least that way Jaehyun wouldn't have to watch the misery pouring out of Sangyeon. Under these circumstances Sangyeon is still to blame but Jaehyun can't help but pity him. 

There isn't an easy way to fix this. If an investigation was successful and found fault with the coach who had advised Sangyeon, checking the substances is still the responsibility of the athlete. Sangyeon wouldn't be reinstated in competition. Though the timing of the incident is strange. The fact that Sangyeon’s sample was checked and processed prior to play, early enough to proactively disqualify him, is strange. 

"Who was it?" Jaehyun asks. "Do they coach anyone we know?" 

Sangyeon laughs. "Kwon Hyuksoo. Lee Soohyuk's coach."

"Did you not think a man like that would want to sabotage you? Sangyeon, we're all so close in world rankings—" 

"I know," Sangyeon says dully. "I know but I was desperate. I'm already past my peak and this disqualification is going to push me right out of my playing years."

Jaehyun sits up. He isn't sure that Sangyeon is suggesting what it sounds like. "You just said we're stuck with each other, Sangyeon, why do you sound like you're thinking of retiring?"

"Because I am thinking of retiring."

"You can't." Losing a competitor should be a good thing for Jaehyun. Of course someone else will easily settle into the vacancy Sangyeon creates, and they wouldn't rile him up to the point that he makes stupid mistakes, but he would much rather repeat the awful routine of matches coming to disqualifications against Sangyeon. 

Sangyeon sighs, clearly not in agreement. "Maybe that's what I need to do so that we can really get along."

"If you decide to retire, we won't magically go home. Yena said we're here until the end of November. You need to think about what you're saying."

"It will be better for you anyway. Cao Lu can focus on your training and your conditioning. I think you can break into the top twenty."

"Sangyeon—" 

"The mistakes I made led me to this conclusion. There's a reason for everything."

"But not this," Jaehyun says. His voice is level. He sounds calm. He hopes the stiff grimness of his face also reflects that. "You're still young, you can still play. You're only a year older than me, am I supposed to retire next year?" 

"No," Sangyeon says with a small smile. "You have time. I don't think you are even at your peak yet."

Sangyeon isn't supposed to say something like that, he is supposed to be less honest when Jaehyun is begging him not to give up. However Sangyeon has avoided the usual way things go. He is kind in his resignation and it isn't fair. 

"Wait another year, then," Jaehyun requests, grip on his Tropicana can too tight. 

"Wouldn't it be better to retire when I can be mediocre instead of just terrible?" Sangyeon grins. 

It isn't funny. Of all the times Sangyeon chooses to laugh or cry, Jaehyun doesn't understand how he gets it so wrong. Jaehyun wants to cry. 

"One more year, please. We'll train harder together for it, your last hurrah. Maybe we can even compete in a few doubles matches. Not for proper competitions, obviously, but I think it would be nice if we could show people that we're not completely unreasonable."

Sangyeon’s smile is pulling frays into Jaehyun's resolve. He needs Sangyeon to want this too. Joining forces and truly becoming a team hasn't ever been possible before yet they should at least have the chance of feeling like they could be one. Why else are they here trying to prove themselves to someone who shouldn't care what they do? It isn't for Sangyeon to look at Jaehyun with a horrible softness in his eyes. 

"I'll think about it," Sangyeon lies. Jaehyun can't say anything as Sangyeon swigs Tropicana from his can and reclines in his seat. 

*

When the holidays arrive for Chuseok, Jaehyun gets to visit his parents. Selfishly he is glad of the fact. He hasn't seen his parents for a substantial amount of time in several years. Cao Lu allows him to go and visit here and there but since he has managed to get on the international circuit he hasn't been home for the holidays. 

Sangyeon comes with Jaehyun though it might have been nice to spend the time separately. Cao Lu let slip a while ago that Sangyeon had fallen out with his family and hadn't seen them at all for years. In the lead up to preparations, Jaehyun considers asking whether Sangyeon would want to see this family who he hasn’t severed ties with, but he can't quite bring himself to broach the subject until they're in the car on the way to Songdo. 

"Do you think they'll notice that we bought the songpyeon from a shop on the way there?" Jaehyun asks as he peers at the plastic wrapped tray of tilde-shaped dumplings on his lap. Sangyeon laughs as he keeps his eyes on the road. 

"I think they'll notice."

"Oh," Jaehyun says as he begins trying to peel off the price sticker. It is totally natural and casual for him to ask, "Do you think your parents would have noticed?" 

"Yes." 

Sangyeon doesn't sound like he is too annoyed about his family being brought up but his confusion isn't too surprising. Jaehyun glances up from his very important task to see Sangyeon looking at him. 

"Eyes on the road," Jaehyun chides. Sangyeon nods and begins paying attention to the fact their lives are in his hands. He licks his lips, looking oddly nervous as he adjusts his grip on the steering wheel, and it almost looks like he has a tough subject of his own to bring up. "What is it?" 

"Why are you suddenly asking about my parents?" 

When confronted with the very thing he wanted to discuss just a moment ago, Jaehyun loses his nerve. "It's a normal thing to talk about. I just don't want you to feel like you're a bad son because I made us visit my family instead of yours."

"You didn't make us visit your family," Sangyeon says. "We probably went to my family last year, or for Seollal or something. We have to take turns."

"Have you ever had your turn?" 

"What?" Sangyeon’s baffled tone almost makes Jaehyun think he's crazy for worrying but he knows that isn't the case. 

"Your family. Your real family, not the ones that probably like you because the Sangyeon here isn't so abrasive."

There isn't an atom of humour on the breath which gusts out of Sangyeon’s mouth as a laugh. "Shut up. You don't know anything about my family."

"I know you haven't spoken to them since before you started training with Cao Lu."

"So what?" Sangyeon doesn't look at Jaehyun, just stares ahead at the road, unblinking. 

"I miss my family. It is only natural for you to miss yours. You haven't seen them for a long time. Maybe by coming to this dimension you are supposed to—" 

"Stop talking," Sangyeon spits. The tension in his shoulders rattles his arms right the way to his grip on the steering wheel. "The only reason I am here is because of you. There's nothing else that I am _supposed_ to do so why don't you keep your mouth shut."

"That's—" 

"I mean it, Jaehyun, don't say a word to me. So what if we have been living together for a few months. You don't know anything about me."

This isn't a fight that Jaehyun wants to have so he stays quiet. There is no way that the rift between himself and Sangyeon was really enough to warrant several months in a whole other dimension. Whether Sangyeon agrees or not, there must be other pieces of problems which they are supposed to fit into the spaces of their lives. Jaehyun still can't shake off the words of the old woman on his birthday. If they can't really be considered enemies there must be some other reason they are here. 

Considering the dense rage which had clouded Sangyeon’s countenance on the journey, there isn't a moment when Sangyeon isn't smiling and happily greeting Jaehyun's family when they arrive. 

As expected, the household is hectic but not to the extent that Jaehyun's shopbought songpyeon goes unnoticed. Whilst Sangyeon has been stolen away by some aunts who are convinced he would absorb their kitchen knowledge better than Jaehyun, Jaehyun's sister pulls him aside. The grin on Jaekyung's face is almost triumphant, though Jaehyun can't imagine why. 

"What do you look so happy about?" 

"You look _miserable,"_ is Jaekyung's gleeful response. "Did you fight? I had a fight with my idiot husband too and he said, 'well now everyone will think that you don't want to be there,' in his stupid snide little voice. And I don't want to be here, but at least I don't have that written all over my face like you do. Was it a bad fight?"

"No. It was just… Family stuff."

"I'm your family!" Jaekyung points out with a wave over her arms. 

" _His_ family."

"Oh. Is Woori upset that I am the favourite this year?" 

Jaehyun has no idea who Woori is supposed to be so he shrugs. "I'm just worried that Sangyeon… I don't know. Maybe he will realise at some point that he hasn't spent enough time with his family and one day, when he realises, it won't be possible to see them at all."

"You don't spend all that much time with your family, you know. You're married. It happens," Jaekyung says as she idly pats Jaehyun's hand. "I remember when you were younger and you said you wouldn't be like me. You were determined that you were going to see our parents and the rest of our family all the time, but you understand that it isn't possible, don't you? It is okay to be busy and have your own life."

The words never came from Jaehyun himself but they still needle guilt into his throat. The Jaehyun from this dimension really is as awful as assumed, especially if he could wield words so easily to make his own sister feel bad for not being around enough. In his own life, Jaehyun hadn't made any claims that he knew he couldn't keep. He has just quietly regretted the time he has spent sacrificing his formative relationships whilst failing to dredge himself out of mediocrity. 

"I'm not that busy. I should be making time."

"You are busy," Jaekyung says quietly. "Don't worry so much." 

"How can I not worry?" Jaehyun grumbles. "Even if you say it's fine, I doubt everyone else agrees. And what about Sangyeon? What if this is his only chance to have a proper relationship with his own family?" 

Jaekyung surveys Jaehyun curiously before she eventually says, "Unless he has told you that's an issue, you shouldn't worry about it."

Regardless of what his sister says, Jaehyun can't help but worry. Being together for so long, pretending to be the married couple they have replaced, Jaehyun assumed they had reached a point where they could anticipate worries or needs and generally attempt to ease each other's concerns. 

Sangyeon smiles and laughs like they are the couple Jaehyun thought they were pretending to be, but he won't meet Jaehyun's eyes and he flinches away from every touch. This isn't right. 

The festivities move on and Jaehyun's family finish preparing food for the ancestors the next day. The grandmother who will take precedence is a woman with kind eyes who Jaehyun never met. She passed away not long after Jaehyun was born in his own dimension though he isn't sure when it occurred here. What Jaehyun can see is how sincere Sangyeon is about doing things properly. 

"I've never helped out like that before," Sangyeon says before bed, flushed and forgetting himself. Jaehyun is glad that there is a moment where Sangyeon doesn't remember that he is mad at him. 

In this room that is so much like the room Jaehyun grew up in, he takes a moment to wonder what it is like to be married and to return home for the holidays to join together the family of his past and the family of his future. 

"You're a natural," Jaehyun tells Sangyeon. "Everyone was impressed that you're so good."

Realisation settles over Sangyeon’s face. Of course Jaehyun doesn't deserve his pretended happiness for even this long. But they still need to sleep side by side, squashed into a tiny space along with luggage that wouldn't fit elsewhere in the house. 

"I'm sorry for bringing up your family in the car," Jaehyun says. Apologising is new though it doesn't feel like a huge concession when surprise relaxes Sangyeon’s face as he stands dumbly with his toothbrush in hand. 

"We don't know each other. How would you have known it was a sore point?" Sangyeon shrugs. 

"I shouldn’t have assumed anything about your situation," Jaehyun says, taking a step to shorten the distance between them and stopping short as Sangyeon eyes his approach. 

"Your family are nice," Sangyeon says, gruff. "Obviously you would think my family are like yours. I don't even think the family Sangyeon here has are like mine, so it must be me, right?" 

The words douse Jaehyun with grim realisation. He hasn't been choosing his words carefully at all. _Abrasive_. He doesn't know why he said it when they have been together so long. "No, I don't know what I'm talking about, remember?" 

"You do," Sangyeon says, quiet, shoulders sloping with dejection. "I think you know me better than anyone else."

"That can't be —" 

"I don't have any friends, Jaehyun. I'm abrasive, like you said." Sangyeon winces at the sudden volume of his own voice and he tries to be quieter when he next opens his mouth. "There is a reason nobody likes me."

Whether or not Sangyeon has always thought things like this, Jaehyun is the one who scraped away whatever layer of composure which had been keeping it all inside. Jaehyun speaks without thinking, he isn't the only one, but he needs to at least delay the stupid things he says as easily as the things which might be helpful. 

The quiet ' _I like you,'_ which sits at the back of Jaehyun’s tongue doesn't identify itself as either stupid or helpful. Without purpose the words are redundant. Jaehyun keeps the thought to himself and decides some other occasion would be better suited to admitting this feels like a friendship. 

"Can I hug you?" Jaehyun asks instead. 

"Do what you want, I don't care."

Jaehyun decides to care enough for both of them, though indifference doesn't usually sag against Jaehyun like this, desperate for small support. 

The next day, Jaehyun does well to be careful with his words even though he constantly gets shooed away from the preparations for the meal ahead. He doesn't mind because at least Sangyeon looks at him, eyes glimmering with glee as he reaffirms for Jaehyun who the favourite is. 

  
  


*

One Friday, Sunwoo asks if he can bring a friend to their table tennis lessons. 

"Seeing as it isn't really a cool sport, I wouldn't have anyone else to play with. Learning feels pointless," Sunwoo says whilst clutching his glass of fruit juice. "Just try not to punish him like you did to me."

Jaehyun is pleased by the request though he isn't sure what Sunwoo considers a punishment. Regardless of his continued resistance, he has taken to the sport well. 

"What's a cool sport?" Sangyeon asks as he twirls a dart between his fingers. 

"Football is cool."

"I thought you said table tennis wasn't cool because players wear tiny shorts," Sangyeon frowns. "I have seen footballers wear tiny shorts. Haven't you seen footballers wear tiny shorts?" 

"I have seen footballers wear tiny shorts," Jaehyun confirms seriously. Sunwoo simply rolls his eyes. 

"That doesn't make ping-pong cool. I know football is cool because I play it. Or I did before I got kicked off my team."

Jaehyun weighs up one of the darts he had collected and tries to imagine how it would fly. He is having second thoughts about this training drill but Sunwoo will probably be fine. He hums, "Did this friend play football with you?" 

"Sort of. He wasn't good. I think he did it for fun but I don't know how much fun he can have at something he isn't good at."

"It sounds like you're looking down on table tennis," Sangyeon says, oddly grumpy. "I assumed Jaehyun was joking about the darts but now he should definitely throw them at you."

" _That's_ what the darts are for?" Sunwoo shrieks. "You're psychotic!" 

"Don't talk to my husband like that," Sangyeon scolds. 

"This is all to make you a better player," Jaehyun reasons as he gestures for Sunwoo to stand in front of the nearest dart board. Whilst protesting, Sunwoo shuffles over as directed. 

"I don't want to be a better player."

"We're not going to let you waste your potential," Jaehyun says decisively. 

No matter how determined Jaehyun is, he only manages to throw three darts before they are thrown out of the sports club. 

  
  
  


"Can I ask you a question?" Sangyeon asks when they're in bed one night. Jaehyun rolls over to face him and can't help the huff of a laugh at seeing him smiling so close. 

"What do you want to know?" 

"Here, we're married. But back at home, did you have anyone?" 

Sangyeon is still smiling after asking the question but it looks more like his face is stuck in the expression, facial muscles not so used to happiness that they naturally fall out of it so easily. 

"We've been here for months," Jaehyun says, "Don't you think it is a bit late to ask me?" 

Sangyeon shrugs and sinks deeper into his pillow. "I hadn't really thought about it before but now that it seems like we are winning, I was just wondering what you're going back to."

It is a fair question, though the answer should be obvious. 

"I don't have anyone like this," Jaehyun says. "I mean, I don't have the time to romance anyone."

Finally Sangyeon's smile shrinks away to nothing. "Me too. I just wondered if you were one of those people who had it all. You know, time and someone to go home to."

"No, but after getting a taste of married life I am considering making time," Jaehyun admits. "It's nice. Being with someone even like this is nice. Being in love must be even better."

"Yeah," Sangyeon says quietly. He smiles tightly and rolls over to face the other way. He reaches for the bedside lamp and plunges them into darkness. 

"Are we done?" 

"That's right," Sangyeon says. "Goodnight."

Jaehyun wouldn't have said so much if he knew the conversation would end so quickly. It is embarrassing admitting something like a recent craving for affection but even more so with Sangyeon just ignoring it and not offering up anything himself. But Jaehyun isn't going to prolong things unnecessarily. 

"Goodnight, Sangyeon."

Jaehyun had wondered about the logistics of their bodies. His body feels the same as the body he had always existed within, aside from the softening which has accompanied his more sedentary lifestyle. The physical conditioning he and Sangyeon put their time into has shaped them differently to the men they replaced and Jaehyun wonders how much they are suffering in a life where they cannot stop moving for even a moment. 

For a while Jaehyun had assumed the other Jaehyun and Sangyeon were managing just fine but that might not be the case. 

Jaehyun's right leg is his weaker leg. All the pivoting and sudden shifting of his weight had worn down tendons and ligaments until the strain was too much. Two years ago it had put a stop to his career and even now he is still trying to catch up to the place he should be. Today, it has put Jaehyun in hospital. Upon discharge, he feels like all of his colleagues overreacted. Telling Sangyeon this when he arrives to meet Jaehyun at the A&E exit does not put things into perspective. 

"I was so worried about you," Sangyeon says, barely composed as he slips from the comforting arm of the colleague who came here with him. His eyes are red and his hands tremble on their way to grip Jaehyun's jacket. "Did they give you anything? It doesn't look like they gave you anything but you've hurt your knee before." 

"Calm down," Jaehyun says quietly. "It is my ankle, not my knee this time. They strapped it and they advised me to keep it elevated."

Sangyeon flusters and glances around before he props himself under Jaehyun's arm and they make their way along with Sangyeon’s colleague who was nice enough to bring him. 

"I told you he would be fine," is the cheery appraisal from the small woman on Sangyeon’s other side. Sangyeon sends her a look Jaehyun can't see but the woman laughs and leans around him to smile toothily at Jaehyun. "My name is Chaekyung. I work in complaints with Sangyeon. I have heard so much about you."

"It's nice to meet you," Jaehyun offers awkwardly, wincing when he catches a dip in the pavement. Sangyeon clutches him tightly and walks even closer though he becomes more of a help than a hindrance. 

"What happened?" Chaekyung asks. "I heard you tripped over some trailing wires. Are you going to log a complaint?" 

"It was probably my own fault anyway."

"No it wasn't," Sangyeon grumbles. "Even if you weren't looking where you were going, why would there be wires for you to trip over in the first place? Nobody would expect that. If you don't complain, I will!" 

"Are you allowed to complain to your own department?" Jaehyun asks. 

"No," Chaekyung laughs. "I was going to take you back to work but I think I should take you straight home instead seeing as you're in a funny mood like this." 

"I'm not in a funny mood. My husband was rushed to hospital and I didn't find out until he was already here," Sangyeon grouches. He glances up at Jaehyun and looks even more displeased, if possible. "Aren't I your emergency contact? You were injured at work. What were they playing at, not even letting me know?"

"It wasn't really an emergency."

That seems to be the wrong thing to say judging by Sangyeon’s glare. It isn't until they are home, thanks to Chaekyung's kindness, that Sangyeon admits that he might have overreacted. His eyes gloss with fresh tears when he says he was scared Jaehyun wouldn't be able to play again. 

Jaehyun hadn't been thinking about his actual career. He doubts a sprain sustained just by tripping could be severe enough to end his table tennis career but Sangyeon’s concern makes him nervous about the prospect.

"I'm sorry that I made you worry," Jaehyun says from the sofa where his leg is propped up. Sangyeon’s expression twists in irritation and he contents himself with standing over Jaehyun, hands clenched into fists at his sides. 

"Don't apologise. Of course I would worry. I just need to go and grab you some ice." 

Jaehyun doesn't question Sangyeon’s trail of logic, though he does wonder why finding ice takes so long. 

Halloween falls on a Saturday. Saturday means reading with children in the library. The week before they drove straight from the library to a fancy-dress shop and spent the afternoon arguing over what constitutes a suitable costume. After several hours of debate, Sangyeon relents and agrees not to give the children nightmares with their costumes. 

The thing about compromise is that Jaehyun isn't happy with their costumes either. 

"Let's just go home," Jaehyun says. "I think I'm coming down with something serious."

"You're fine," Sangyeon says cheerily as he opens the car door. He shouldn't be anywhere near this happy. They're _bunnies!_ Stupid fluffy bunnies. There is nothing remotely Halloween-esque about bunnies! The spirit of spookiness does not exist in fluffy woodland creatures. They were supposed to be non-threatening ghosts, or funnybones who could be found _in a dark, dark town in a dark, dark street in a dark, dark house down some dark, dark stairs in a dark, dark cellar_. Jaehyun was really hoping for the funnybones costumes but he wishes he could have thought of a better retort to Sangyeon’s smug, "If monsters are scary, how is subjecting children to the terrors of mortality and their futures as decomposing bodies not scary?" 

Sangyeon rounds the car and opens the passenger side door. Jaehyun isn't above begging. "Please, Sangyeon, we can't go in there like this!" 

"They're children," Sangyeon frowns. "Is this because Sunwoo laughed at you when we were leaving? You were fine putting on the costume and the facepaint before that."

"It's not because of Sunwoo," Jaehyun lies. 

Sangyeon sighs and leans into the car to unfasten Jaehyun's seatbelt and manoeuvres him out of the front seat. "You're the worst husband." 

"I'm the only husband you have," Sangyeon grins as he leads Jaehyun by his hand through the drizzle and into the library. 

Bunnies are scarier than Jaehyun had imagined judging by the screams of terror from the children gathered at the soft-seating area of the library. Sangyeon grins at Jaehyun. "Happy Halloween."

Most of the morning is spent convincing the children that there is nothing to be afraid of before any of them are brave enough to come close to read. 

"Please don't cry again," Jaehyun says as he gestures at one of the more timid children. She creeps over and states up at Jaehyun with her arms wrapped around her knees. "Do you want to read to me instead?" 

The little girl reads to Jaehyun in a wavering voice. She puts on voices for all the characters and holds the book up high so that Jaehyun can see all the pictures just like when the volunteers such as Jaehyun and Sangyeon read out to the whole group. As cute as the girl is, Jaehyun finds her markedly less cute when she tells him what she thinks. 

"You're really ugly."

He laughs, pretends his feelings aren't hurt, but this is worse than when Sunwoo laughed at him earlier. 

Kahei is a renowned party planner, or that is what Jaehyun is assuming. She turns up at the house in a sleek black town car, sipping something iced and fruity. She pushes her sunglasses up onto her head, a gleaming coronet atop her flowing magma hair, and she marches up to the front door with a thick folder clutched under the arm of her tweed powersuit. 

"Sangyeon, I think I'm in love," Jaehyun says as he presses himself against the living room window. Kahei glances in his direction as she waits at the front door, and he feels oddly exposed though excited that she would take notice of someone as insignificant as him. Since the day Jaehyun and Sangyeon arrived here, their correspondence with Kahei was via email and over the phone. None of that prepared Jaehyun for this moment. 

Sangyeon sighs. "You're not going to be weird the whole time, are you?" Sangyeon says before he opens the front door. 

"I can't make any promises." 

Sangyeon opens the door. And then he can't form any words. Kahei clearly just has this sort of effect, enchanting everyone who lays eyes on her, and Jaehyun is glad that he can rub this in Sangyeon’s face later on. 

They situate themselves at the dining table and Kahei sets out fabric samples and moodboards which she has created for the party theme, which is invariably boring and white and baby blue. Jaehyun doesn't care too much for the colourscheme but the invitations from the day they first arrived in this dimension seemed to be what the Jaehyun and Sangyeon who belong here wanted. 

Kahei has an agenda set out and addresses each point in detail as she asks for opinions on what they want and how much money they are willing to part with to make each element a reality. Of course the budget does not remain at the set limit when they realise how much things like entertainment and party favours cost and Jaehyun wonders just how much they can whittle down the number of people they are paying for in order to ease the financial strain. 

"What was the name of your friend from work?" Jaehyun frowns as he squints at the guestlist.

"What friend?" 

"That lady," Jaehyun says vaguely. "She brought you to the hospital before."

"Chaekyung."

"Hmm, her. She's not on the guestlist for the party. Why do you think she wasn't invited?" 

"I don't think she was one of Sangyeon’s friends," Sangyeon says idly. Kahei makes a sound which could be a laugh but her face is straight when Jaehyun looks at her. Jaehyun hits Sangyeon’s arm but he shrugs. 

"You asked."

"You could have answered more normally than that."

Sangyeon glances up from the prototype for an embossed keyring commemorating the day and finally remembers Kahei is sitting at the table with them. "She's a new friend. Um, these keyrings, they're a bit excessive."

"Do you want a simpler design?" Kahei asks. As she reaches for her phone. "You need to decide quickly so I can let my CAD designer know."

"CAD designer?" Jaehyun mouths at Sangyeon. Whatever party planning is these days, it is a lot more complex than he could have imagined. 

"The design is fine," Sangyeon says blandly, "but _keyrings?_ That seems a bit much."

"What else are you going to give your guests so that they remember the day?" 

As great a question as that is, Jaehyun is lost for words. It is a party. There isn't much important that needs to be remembered. 

*

Despite this particular Wednesday being Sangyeon’s actual birthday, they end up going to work anyway. They don't manage to have lunch together regardless of Jaehyun’s attempts to wrap up the meeting he is stuck in, but it can't be helped. Mid-afternoon, Sangyeon sends Jaehyun a picture of the cake that the department bought for him. More than anything, Jaehyun is impressed by the fact Sangyeon would eat anything containing so much refined sugar. Living like this presented the very obvious benefit of being able to indulge in a sweet tooth but Jaehyun wondered whether this was Sangyeon enjoying his day or giving up. 

There are only a few weeks remaining before their anniversary party and Jaehyun thinks they get on well enough that they will succeed. There is no reason to give up. Sangyeon seems happy enough anyway as he drives them to the retirement home as though this were any other Wednesday. 

Everyone sings Sangyeon happy birthday despite the fact it only earns them each a tiny sliver of cake. Glancing down at his own slice, Jaehyun thinks the effort of cutting up the cake is pointless. Nobody is going to enjoy eating connected crumbs. 

"We should have bought more cake."

"Would I have had more wishes if we brought more cakes?" Sangyeon asks as he carefully moves the knife a few millimetres for the next slice. 

"How many wishes could you possibly need?" 

"Just the one," Sangyeon says as he cuts through the cake. He straightens up and holds his hand out for Jaehyun to pass him a napkin. "It is a big wish. I don't think one cake is enough to make it come true."

"I think we'll get to go back," Jaehyun says. "For a while we have probably got along well enough to go back. We've already won." 

Sangyeon hums like he is only offering the pretence of agreement. He doesn't bother to say anything else though. 

"You _do_ want to go back, don't you?" Jaehyun asks. Sangyeon continues slicing the cake. 

"Of course. What more could I want?" 

Jaehyun isn't sure. Returning to the dimension they came from should be exactly what they want. That is their goal for getting through this. 

Despite having to go home, they have work to think about in the morning, they stick around to dance to old songs along with the elderly people who have been pepped-up by birthday cake. Hand-in-hand with a resident of his own, Jaehyun catches the joy on Sangyeon’s face as he sings along to songs older than they are and attempts to twirl the old woman who has taken him for a partner. 

Jaehyun's partner isn't quite so spritely and treads on his foot heavily. To avoid any more of his metatarsals being crushed so soon after twisting his ankle, Jaehyun keeps his eyes on his feet. 

"That useless boy keeps looking this way."

Jaehyun tries to find Sangyeon but only sees the back of his head before feeling the deliberate pressure of a foot on his toes. 

"Why do you keep stepping on my feet?" Jaehyun grumbles, paying attention to his dance partner's feet once more. 

"Are you enjoying your marriage?" 

"We're… Friends," Jaehyun says carefully. The word sounds odd but it is the truth. They are friends. 

"How long do you have left before that is all you are?" 

Jaehyun glances up at the grandmother's face and she stomps on his foot hard enough to make him yelp. "I'm not dancing with you anymore."

"You just missed him. He looked like he wanted to check on you."

Jaehyun very nearly looks before he realises what a fool he would be if he was deceived once more. He smiles tightly at the old woman. 

"Stop that. We're going back to our dimension at the end of the month. We've won. I know we have." 

The woman hums, sounding almost as though she doesn't care despite the next words out of her mouth being contrary to that. "And you're happy to go back? Have you resolved everything? Will you continue like this where you came from?" 

"You're making fun of me," Jaehyun says. "Home is where we belong. There isn't anything to talk about. We understand each other well enough."

"Really? What does that mean?" The woman asks, presumably jerking her chin in Sangyeon’s direction. Jaehyun doesn't even flinch this time. Unfortunately the old woman's smile is accompanied by her toes overlapping his. 

"We like each other reasonably well," Jaehyun allows. 

"Is that enough? Is liking each other 'reasonably' what you want?" 

Jaehyun doesn't like this question. Living like this is easy precisely because Jaehyun understands it is all pretend. Any thoughts beyond that are brushed aside with the reminder that he is playing his role too well, that is all. It is enough because Jaehyun isn't sure what to make of the part of himself which doesn't agree with that. 

"Shouldn't you be asking what present I bought for his birthday?" Jaehyun asks, a desperate change of subject which doesn't catch on. 

"I'm not asking because I don't care," the old woman asserts. "But I have the gift of knowledge for you today. It is easier to tell the truth when you're pretending to be someone else. It might not be believed so easily, but it is certainly easier to say it now than if you wait until you go back."

"What does that mean?" 

Any hope of clarification is waved away with the announcement that the old woman's feet hurt and she goes to take a seat whilst waving someone else over to take her space. 

Sangyeon’s hand is firm against Jaehyun's back. His other hand slides into Jaehyun's empty hand easily and they fit together well like this. The smile on Sangyeon’s face is tired around the edges but he still holds Jaehyun carefully. 

"Is your ankle giving you trouble?" 

"I'm fine," Jaehyun says. His mouth hangs open dumbly for a moment but he can't say anything further. Sangyeon begins to quietly sing along to the music. It would be rude to interrupt, to ask if this is enough, whether this new friendship is what they should have had all along, so he says nothing. He redoubles the grip of his hand around Sangyeon’s. 

"Thank you," Sangyeon says. 

"What for?" 

Sangyeon shakes his head, smiling coyly as he looks up to meet Jaehyun's gaze. "You might not realise, but you do a lot to make me feel… normal." After just a few words, he flushes, embarrassed, but he presses on, dropping his voice so that Jaehyun must lean in closer to catch the words. "I wish I had been better to you before we had to come here. Thank you for putting up with me."

"You've been putting up with me too," Jaehyun says quickly. "Here too, you have still had to put up with me."

"No," Sangyeon says, "Here, you've done more for me than I could have thought. I am glad I have been able to get to know you like this over the last few months, even if I haven't been the best."

Jaehyun doesn't know what to say. This feels like the best time of all to ask whether he gets his own wish, whether they can keep some aspect of this life when they're home, but he can only manage a feeble, "Happy birthday."

Sangyeon smiles like it means the world. 

  
*

"This is a nice party," Jinsol muses before she grins and smacks Sangyeon’s arm. 

The party is more than 'nice'. 

This party is more expensive than whatever Jaehyun would have been happy to part with for himself but it isn't his budget, though he is pleased they managed to secure one of Sooyoung's bars as the venue. The Jaehyun and Sangyeon from this dimension wanted this big party for some strange reason and Kahei stretched that budget even beyond imagination. It would have been nice to organise it and switch back to where they belong but that would be too easy. Instead Jaehyun had to struggle to decide on catering and decorations whilst inching closer to the realisation that he doesn't want to leave. 

"Do you want a drink?" Sangyeon asks Yena. "It's a dry party so all we have is Tropicana because _someone_ insisted."

The elbow in Jaehyun's ribs is a prompt as easily as it is a teasing gesture. Sangyeon grins at Jaehyun, too fond, and the expression is becoming. His smile singes at the curling edges of happiness in Jaehyun's chest and it isn't fair. This situation hasn't been fair from the start. 

Jaehyun lost a chance to prove himself as a player but acclimatising to this life has only presented him with impending disappointment. Sangyeon doesn't smile at Jaehyun like this at home. He wouldn't dream of joking around with him, and time is running out for Jaehyun to commit moments like this to his memory. 

They dance, they drink Tropicana, and Jaehyun wonders whether this is cheating. He feels like he has stolen a piece of someone else's happiness but this is his Sangyeon and he at least owns the time they have spent together these past few months. 

Despite spending so much time together before they were sent to this dimension, hours of toiling over tactics and finetuning their form, Jaehyun hadn't ever thought he'd be glad of seeing Sangyeon’s face every day. The man standing beside Jaehyun now is no longer a rival. With their hands clasped tightly, Sangyeon really does seem like the love of a lifetime. 

Jaehyun's eyes had been drawn to Yena near-constantly before this smile broke across Sangyeon’s face. Until Yena brought them here, Jaehyun hadn't seen Sangyeon smile unless he stood on the podium at a tournament. He had always been sullen with uncaring eyes, always so sure that he could become the best without caring what happened to the people he stepped on to reach his goal. This Sangyeon must be more like the Sangyeon who originally lived in this dimension; a man who writes cheery messages on the whiteboard fixed to the fridge every morning, a man who volunteers in his spare time because he genuinely wants to help other people, a man who could promise to love a man like Jaehyun forever. 

Listening to a song that doesn't mean as much to him as it should has Jaehyun remembering one of the stranger questions he has been asked. How many times have he and Sangyeon met before? This party is making Jaehyun jealous of the fact it happened once. How many other times have they fallen in love? How many different dimensions ended up as perfectly as this one? 

It almost isn't fair. Jaehyun should have been smarter. He could sabotage this whole thing right now and try to hurt Sangyeon in front of everyone so they can fail the dimension traveller's challenge, just for the sake of getting to live like this for a while longer. But Jaehyun can't bring himself to disobey the imploring clench in his chest. This totally isn't fair. 

The music ends and Jaehyun has to listen to Sangyeon’s sister bragging about her wonderful younger brother and how satisfying it is to see him happy. The fact that Sangyeon can look happy is good, even better if that is genuinely how he feels, but happiness here signals a victory that Jaehyun isn't prepared for. 

"Do you need some fresh air?" Sangyeon asks quietly. Jaehyun shakes his head and relaxes into the natural embrace as Sangyeon slides his arms around him. Like this, Jaehyun can feel the slow rumble of Sangyeon’s voice when he says, "Despite the fact we were left arranging things, I almost feel bad that we've hijacked this party. What do you think the other versions of us are doing?" 

Jaehyun pretends to smile along with the joke Sangyeon’s sister tells to the party guests as part of her extremely long speech but he doesn't understand the context enough to really laugh. At least everyone else is entertained. The other version of him would probably have loved the joke. 

"They must be celebrating somehow," Jaehyun says. 

Sangyeon hums and holds onto Jaehyun more securely. "In that case I will stop feeling guilty. I can just enjoy this with you. My darling husband whom I love so much." 

Something pops in Jaehyun's chest and he realises he needs to say something now. "I love you."

"We are married," Sangyeon agrees blandly. 

"No, Sangyeon," Jaehyun says as quietly as he can. "I love _you._ The petty, mean, miserable control freak who I came here with is the person I love."

Sangyeon doesn't say anything. At least Jaehyun said it. He can't regret how things turn out because he has admitted to the feelings which have been quietly stoked by the convenience of having Sangyeon at his side. When they go back to the dimension they belong they won't have to worry about being kind to one another. Jaehyun will be fine when they are home even if he needs to pretend right now that he doesn't mind losing something he hadn't realised that he wanted. 

"She needs to wrap this up," Sangyeon mutters as he slips away. "People are getting bored." 

Sangyeon hurries to the little karaoke machine where his sister is still telling stories that Jaehyun doesn't remember. There is a scuffle which has the party guests tittering until Woori gives in and passes him the mic. 

"Hi, everyone," Sangyeon says, voice echoing and booming because his sister is playing with the effect settings. He glares at her and she turns down the reverb slightly. "This will do. Anyway, thank you for coming to mine and Jaehyun's anniversary party. I recently learnt that the cotton anniversary is only two years. Jaehyun and I must really be awful if we're making all this fuss over two years. I thought it would be ten years or something if we insisted on a party like this."

Some people laugh though Jaehyun wouldn't be laughing if he didn't know the context. He isn't even laughing now, even if Sangyeon is awkward as he rambles into a little karaoke machine. He always had been able to turn on the charm after a victory but Jaehyun wonders whether the victory here came at the cost of his own defeat. 

"I've actually been with Jaehyun for longer than two years, way, way longer than two years, and we hated each other the whole time. Should we throw a party for that?" Sangyeon says, sparking an odd thread of confusion through the guests. "Over the time we have known each other, we have had our differences. We have had a lot of differences but it looks like these days we agree on something pretty big and important."

Sangyeon falters, his expression wavering as he looks at Jaehyun. He looks away from Jaehyun towards a guest who is conspicuous without even trying. "If I say it back, does all of this end? Do I have to go back to a life where I don't get to have Jaehyun anymore?" 

Jaehyun shakes his head. Maybe to make Sangyeon keep his words to himself or maybe to reject the possibility of a life like that. Jaehyun can't go back if that is the price. He'd much rather remain here, pretending his way to happiness without ever hearing the words he wants, if that is what it takes to keep Sangyeon. 

If Yena does respond to Sangyeon, Jaehyun neither sees nor hears it. Instead he keeps watching Sangyeon and the gradual crumbling of his caution in front of their guests. 

"It doesn't matter," Sangyeon eventually says. His eyes find Jaehyun's with a plea. "If we have to go back, I will do everything I can to see if you might love me there too."

Sangyeon’s sister isn't quiet about her confusion as she accepts the microphone and requests the DJ play more music. Her face is drawn into a frown when she speaks to Sangyeon. Watching that unfold makes Jaehyun nervous but he isn't quite on edge enough to notice his own sister sidle up to him. 

"What is your man talking about?" 

Jaehyun flinches. He can't meet her eyes right now. "Nothing important."

"It sounds important," she presses. "He said you hated each other."

"That's just how we met," Jaehyun says quickly. 

"You said that it was love at first sight."

That is difficult. Jaehyun glances at his sister. Her expression is hard. There isn't much point in lying right now. He probably doesn't have long left here. 

"Jaekyung, I'm not your Jaehyun." 

"Why do you have to be so weird?" 

"I'm not," Jaehyun says, all too aware that the situation is unbelievable. "It doesn't matter. However you think we met and however I think I met Sangyeon doesn't matter."

"Things are strange," Jaekyung says. "It isn't so long ago that you were telling me about a big fight that you had. Is there something wrong between the two of you?" 

"It's really fine. There isn't anything to worry about," Jaehyun says though he can't help but worry himself. 

Whatever Jaekyung's rebuttal, Sangyeon interrupts hurriedly. 

"Can I borrow my husband for just a minute?" Sangyeon asks. He doesn't wait for a response before grasping Jaehyun's forearms and leading him closer to the fire exit which has been adorned with streamers. He smiles at Jaehyun but the expression is ominous. "Hey, hi. I need to talk to you for a second."

"What is it?" 

"Yena says we have to go back. But I asked her really nicely for a favour and she is going to fix everything."

"I didn't even see you talk to her," Jaehyun says as he peers around in search of the dimension traveller. Sangyeon slides his hands up to hold Jaehyun's face and his smile takes on a nervous twist. Jaehyun's hands drift up to grip Sangyeon’s elbows, but for once this almost reflexive action doesn't bring much comfort. 

"She's going to fix everything," Sangyeon says on the back of a shuddering exhale. "You're so beautiful, Jaehyun. You're beautiful, and talented, and you deserve the world."

"I have this one. This world right here."

"No, baby, this doesn't belong to us. We have to give it back." 

Jaehyun doesn't want to give this back. He has been wrong all along. Out of everyone in the world, Sangyeon is exactly the right person to settle down with. This is the sort of life Jaehyun wants, his happiness hooked into the blissful ardour of the man right in front of him. Returning to a world where he ever hated this man wouldn't be fair. There is so much that he wants to change, that he needs to change, but he won't be afforded those opportunities in the place they came from. 

"Would it be so bad if we stayed?" Jaehyun asks. None of this feels fair and he wants to be unfair too. But Sangyeon shakes his head. 

"We can't stay. We're not allowed."

Jaehyun catches sight of Yena approaching in his periphery and it is too much like the beginning of an unwanted ending. 

"Sangyeon, I don't want to go back. Why can't we just keep doing this? What we have here is good."

"But it isn't ours," Sangyeon says, syllables careful and deliberate as he holds Jaehyun's face in his palms. 

  
  
  
  
  


Outside the sports stadium it is a bright and warm morning before the peak of summer. This isn't right. 

"No," Jaehyun says. The party is gone, the friends and family are gone, Jaehyun's marriage to Sangyeon is gone. However Yena is here. "Take us back."

"This is where you belong," She says as she fiddles with the flat device in her hands. Watching how calm she is makes Jaehyun feel uselessly frantic. He takes steps closer but she moves away without looking, no concern for the obstacles and hazards which are frozen before time is restarted once more. 

"I don't care. I want to go back. Yena, please take us back." 

Yena's eyes are sharp as she fixes Jaehyun with a stare. "Even if I had any intention of sending you back, wouldn't you both have to want to go back?" 

Dense dread plummets through Jaehyun's chest, looking at Yena does nothing to steel him for the task of looking at Sangyeon. He is just standing there, his phone in hand, looking for all the world like he isn't sure he should be upright. His eyes meet Jaehyun's. The question is too difficult to ask. Yena asks for him. 

"Do you want to go back?" 

"No."

"Sangyeon, when we were at the party, you said… Didn't you mean it?" Jaehyun wouldn't have been able to hear himself if the ambience of the world around them had been trundling along. Jaehyun can barely hear himself in the dead silence of static time. This isn't something that he thought he would be confronted with. 

Sangyeon didn't say what Jaehyun thought he had. Sangyeon said something which sounded a lot like a hint of what Jaehyun wanted to hear, and he said he wanted Jaehyun to love him here, but he had never said what Jaehyun thought should have come next. 

"I'm sorry," Jaehyun says dully. He made the mistake all on his own. It isn't a mystery how he came to this conclusion but he should have been warier. 

Sangyeon nods to Yena. "Is that it? Can we get back to what we were doing before you dragged us away?" 

Yena falters. Even she looks hesitant. "The point of this was to get along," she says slowly. 

"We get along just fine," Sangyeon says, glib. "Tell her, Jaehyun."

"We get along well," Jaehyun says, too gruff. He clears his throat but it doesn't matter. The lump is still there, only he won't be doing much talking from hereon out. 

Despite her obvious reservations, Yena resumes time. The bustle of the crowds making their way into the stadium are loud and the engines of vehicles moving around the car park grumble and purr on their slow journeys. 

"Cao Lu," Sangyeon says into his phone quickly. He explains the situation succinctly, not even lying about the fact they got kicked out for fighting. He gestures blithely and Jaehyun has already lost sight of Yena so he can't bid her farewell before he follows. 

That is it. 

They learnt to get along and now Jaehyun is going to need to forget all the parts of Sangyeon he had grown fond of. There are too many things which had sunk so easily into Jaehyun's consciousness but it is only now that the barbs are making themselves known as they prick Jaehyun with each step he takes to follow. 

Cao Lu gets them back inside and she chastises them all the way to the doors leading to the players' area where Sangyeon stops following. The coach frowns and looks ready to ream Sangyeon but instead uses a measured tone to ask, "What are you doing?" 

"I've been disqualified," Sangyeon says. "I can't go through with you. How is that going to look? You'll just have to bring my stuff out to me later."

"I can just run in and bring your bag out now if you want it," Jaehyun suggests. Immediately Sangyeon poo-poos the suggestion with a wave of his hand. 

"No. You need to go through to the gym and warm up and get your head ready for this tournament. You're not coming back out of those doors until you have qualified. And the day after tomorrow you will play your first official round and win."

Jaehyun isn't quite sure what is happening. He glances at Cao Lu and is comforted by the incomprehension on her face. 

"Is this you wishing me luck?" 

Sangyeon shrugs. "Do you feel lucky?" 

"No," Jaehyun says honestly. He is still mired in disappointment so there isn't much chance of luck reaching him right now. Sangyeon smiles at that though. 

"You don't need luck," he says. He slaps Jaehyun's arm in encouragement and his hands come to settle at Jaehyun's shoulders. "You're a great player. You're an even better man, Jaehyun. Give me a reason to reconsider retirement." 

"Retirement?" Cao Lu squawks. 

"That's right," Sangyeon says. "My career is as good as done anyway. But I might hold off if I get to train alongside the unseeded player who is about to take the Korean Open by storm."

"I haven't even qualified yet," Jaehyun mutters, not sure what is happening right now. Considering Sangyeon had a moment ago told Jaehyun he needed to get into the right frame of mind for a competition, he is doing a brilliant job of knocking Jaehyun's thoughts off-kilter. 

"But you will," Sangyeon says. "And you will make it all the way to the final and climb up the world rankings. It won't be a fluke either. You'll get properly invited and seeded in tournaments, do you understand me?" 

Cao Lu keeps muttering to herself about retirement and Jaehyun gets it though he supposes her choice to retire young isn't something she would happily be reminded of. 

Sangyeon doesn't make any sense. He is too confusing and he is talking of retirement and winning but Jaehyun is still stuck on the part where the past few months of his life disintegrated as insignificantly as seeds to the wind. He isn't ready to win anything right now. 

"I will probably make stupid mistakes and start yelling at the umpire." 

"You had better not. After today, I reckon Cao Lu is ready to drop both of us and then we'll be destitute with no way to make money," Sangyeon says. He hesitates around a word but manages to speak his thoughts into the air between them. "To have and to hold. For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer… But please try to win. I quite like the idea of richer for us. I want the fancy car and the Egyptian cotton bedsheets back."

He is talking nonsense. Utter nonsense and riddles but Jaehyun thinks he is beginning to make sense of them. Or he is hoping that he isn't wildly misinterpreting things until they mould to his wishes. 

"Do you mean it?" 

"I don't just want you to win because you're the breadwinner. You're a good player too. People need to see that." 

Jaehyun shakes his head and grasps at Sangyeon’s arms just in case this is the moment he wants to let go. "No. Are you proposing to me right now?" 

"What happened in this fight you had?" Cao Lu groans. "I don't care if you both have brain injuries as long as you still remember how to play." 

"My head is fine. Does it sound like I am proposing? It is conditional," Sangyeon says, "You have to win."

"I thought you didn't—" 

"I didn't want to distract you, but you're already a mess," Sangyeon grins. "This probably isn't going to make a difference to you. You really have to win though."

"I don't know if I can," Jaehyun says through a smile which he can't quite dim. He is talking about losing and he can't stop smiling as relief bubbles out of him in huge waves of air. "Can you lower your standards?" 

"The quarter finals," Sangyeon allows. "Win the quarter finals so I can brag about you to everyone we know. Obviously I am going to take credit for your victory because of this pep-talk I am giving you."

Jaehyun could cry. He needs to get to the gym and warm up, ready for his qualification bracket. He can't start crying over this otherwise he isn't going to stop. 

"I don't believe you," Jaehyun says, as steadily as he can. 

"You don't believe me?" Sangyeon asks with a smile. He brings his hands up to cup Jaehyun's jaw and he leans close, stretching onto tiptoe. Jaehyun's eyes flutter closed on reflex. He wrenches his eyes open at the slow stroke of Sangyeon’s thumb across his cheek. If Sangyeon thinks Jaehyun looks like a fool he doesn't say so. The same can't be said of Cao Lu, but at least Sangyeon is looking at Jaehyun with unfamiliar fondness. "Make me proud, baby. And if you have to play against Lee Soohyuk you had better fight for my honour."

Jaehyun nods quickly. Of course. That is the least he could do, though he isn't sure how much additional motivation it is for him. The odds are almost the same, except if he beats Lee Soohyuk he gets something he hadn't known he could want. 

The odds aren't the same. Jaehyun is vibrating out of his skin as he awaits his qualification match. He has been gone too long and the nervous anticipation is a lot like the energy that buoyed him through his first match back after his knee injury. 

Cao Lu is clear as she keeps telling Jaehyun how to play, what to watch out for in his first qualification match, but Jaehyun forgets it all the second he approaches his table. Another qualification match is ongoing on the far side of the stadium and the energy from the spectators filters across Jaehyun's own nerves. 

Unfortunately quickly, Jaehyun spots Sangyeon in the stands. He waves, small and cautious. His mouth moves when Jaehyun gets close and the words are more than an encouragement. 

Sangyeon loves him. 

Jaehyun grips the handle of his bag as he makes his way to drop his things at the edge of his section. He could lose this match right now, fail disastrously and embarrass Cao Lu as well as himself. Losing feels like more of a possibility than winning, but when Jaehyun looks back up at the stands he sees the patient hope in Sangyeon’s eyes. 

For a man who Sangyeon has known for years, Sangyeon is different right now. This isn't the Sangyeon of tournaments past, behaving badly and causing trouble when he doesn't get the results he aims for in his mind. This is the Sangyeon who Jaehyun unfortunately can't imagine living without, a man Jaehyun wants to love, a man he was married to for several months which never happened. The man he sees now is one he loves whether he is allowed to or not, whether he is happy to allow himself this piece of heaven. Sangyeon is the man who sparks jealousy in Jaehyun for not being the version of himself to find this love first. 

Sangyeon is the man who will see each and every one of Jaehyun’s promised victories. 

The smile which breaks across Sangyeon’s face, liquid joy, is worth more than the words Jaehyun mouths to him. This is a win in itself though, standing at the edge of the next match of his career, Jaehyun will do whatever it takes to make every win he can in his career too. He isn't just doing this for his own glory but for the prospect of wooing the doubles partner he hadn't realised he needed. 

**Author's Note:**

> hi!!! if you ever want to talk i am on [curious cat](https://curiouscat.qa/126916912_) and [twitter](https://twitter.com/126916912_)!!!


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